MLB Opening Day: ESPN Brings Sunday Night Baseball Into Analytic Age With Volumetric Replays, Win Probability' in Scorebug SNB will also make the leap from 720p to 1080p this season By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.
Thursday, March 28, 2024 - 3:11 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Baseball may be America's Pastime, but ESPN is focused on bringing the game into the present - and, for that matter, into the future.
Over the years, ESPN has integrated an array of new technologies and advanced metrics into its MLB broadcasts to cater to the modern fan. That effort hits a new level this season with the addition of an omnipresent win probability metric to the on-screen scorebug and more Statcast-driven features, such as exit-velocity data and pitch probability. In addition, ESPN will introduce new volumetric video replays during its MLB Statcast alternative broadcasts beginning in July.
We always want to be a little bit more aggressive, says Phil Orlins, VP, production, ESPN. I'm not saying we want to be completely off the rails from what people traditionally expect from a broadcast, but, if you want to put us on a bell curve, we want to be on the progressive end of that.
ESPN will exclusively televise all Sunday Night Baseball games in 2023, plus five additional exclusive games, including Opening Night tonight as the World Series champion Texas Rangers host the Chicago Cubs at Globe Life Field.
ESPN's first MLB outing of the season tonight will feature all the technological accoutrements, including a live drone (similar to ESPN's College World Series and FOX Sports' World Series coverage) and UmpCam, which ESPN expects to use periodically throughout the season depending on the matchup and the ump's willingness to wear it for four or more innings at a time. The UmpCam was also seen for the MLB Seoul Series last week and will be on hand for the St. Louis Cardinals-L.A. Dodgers SNB broadcast this weekend.
Statcast Goes Volumetric: Altcasts To Feature New Data-Fueled Replays ESPN will produce more editions of its MLB Statcast alternative presentation than ever before, beginning with the Home Run Derby on July 15 and continuing with nine out of the following 10 SNB games. These Statcast altcasts will feature play-by-play caller Kevin Brown and analysts Trevor May and Mike Petriello in the booth. They will be produced in close collaboration with Major League Baseball, which provides all Statcast data and animations.
ESPN will aggressively use volumetric-data-created replays that allow viewers to see replays from any position on the field, including in the batter's helmet, behind the pitcher, and over the shortstop's shoulder.
Instead of creating an entire alternative telecast based on an animated world - like ESPN's Toy Story-themed NFL Funday Football and NHL Big City Greens Classic altcasts - SNB will focus on integrating volumetric-video replays in the Statcast presentation to aid in telling the story of the game.
There are some similarities to what we've done with the NFL and NHL, notes Orlins, but it will be more of a replay and database and human approach versus the cartoon approach. But, from a technology standpoint, [we are] using that collection of data to re-create things from any camera angle and embed data into that. I think, from a visual standpoint, it's going to differentiate those shows.
The volumetric replays will be used throughout the Statcast presentations, but Orlins hopes the production team will find effective and important usages for it in the main ESPN broadcast.
ESPN MLB Producer Andy Jacobson similarly hopes that the volumetric re-creations will be available as a first replay in many cases, adding a valuable new tool to the front bench's storytelling arsenal. Immediacy is something we're extremely hopeful for, he says. To me, one of the differentiators would be, sure, we see Statcast 3D show up in a lot of places but do we ever see it in a first-replay sequence or very soon after it happened? That's one of our goals we're working on: not just frequency but immediacy.
This will mark the latest attempt by MLB and its broadcast partners to create a more immersive baseball-watching experience, following the launch of the Gameday 3D virtual ballpark last season. Declining to get into specifics on the technology until closer to the first Statcast of the season in July, Orlins says MLB is working on some pretty fundamental changes coming to the technology and engines, [which] are evolving the look pretty drastically and allowing the graphic to be better embedded in the whole scene.
Embrace the Differentiation': Win Probability Gets Full-Time Scorebug Treatment This season, for the first time, ESPN will display win probability in its scorebug graphic at all times during MLB broadcasts. ESPN's in-house statistics and information team will provide the real-time win-probability data for the graphic.
I think it speaks to the way people think about sports right now, Orlins explains. [Win probability] is on every website. After a lot of debate, we want to embrace the differentiation there.
Although ESPN is bullish on the ubiquitous presence of win probability on-screen, Orlins is setting reasonable expectations for fans' initial reaction. He compares it to the debut of the K-Zone Live graphic over the plate in 2015, which created an uproar on social media early on but is now a standard component of nearly every live baseball telecast.
[Win probability] will cause some reaction, he predicts. It will probably not be mostly positive at the outset, but I think, over time, it will connect with the psyche and intentions of the viewers. I'm 100% sure that backlash will diminish over time and people will get used to it and ultimately begi
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
28/04/2024
Mediahaus delivers the first SRT live-streaming sports production over 5G with U...
26/04/2024
Sundance Film Festival CDMX 2024 kicks-off today with screenings in 5 theaters in Mexico City and the opening-night film, FRIDA, directed by Carla Guti rrez...
26/04/2024
[Editor's Note: This interview is part of a larger feature about the women d...
26/04/2024
Once again this year, SGL Carbon opened its doors to interested children and young people. On the occasion of the German Girls and Boys Day, which took place on...
26/04/2024
Orders1 of $5.5 billion; book-to-bill of 1.06x
Revenue of $5.2 billion, up 17%,...
26/04/2024
Five Considerations For Communications Modernization In The 21st Century
In the digital-enabled battlespace, the Joint Force needs to shoot, move and communica...
26/04/2024
CBS Sports has launched Champions League as a new, 24-hour streaming channel that will serve as the year-round destination for nonstop highlights of the UEFA ...
26/04/2024
Despite tough competition in the streaming space, Roku reported solid results in Q1 2024, beating revenue expectations, with total net revenue up 19% YoY to $88...
26/04/2024
LONDON AND TORONTO Pinewood Toronto Studios has appointed Sarah Farrell as general manager of the Studios in downtown Toronto....
26/04/2024
Quantum to Offer Advanced Filesharing Technology and Performance in StorNext and...
26/04/2024
FilmLight Colour Awards welcomes 2024 entries and introduces new Emerging Talen...
26/04/2024
Picture Shop Announces Chris Evans as Head of Unscripted
Brie Clayton April 26, 2024
0 Comments
Picture Shop announced Chris Evans will lead Unscripte...
26/04/2024
Participate in a Survey - The Impact of AI on Media and the Creative Industry
Pascal Wagner April 26, 2024
0 Comments
By participating in this survey,...
26/04/2024
Toy maker Mattel said it is working with Samsung to launch its first free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels later this year....
26/04/2024
Trusted Media Brands (TMB) said it named Marty Moe as president....
26/04/2024
Ron Howard is the director on Jim Henson Idea Man, a documentary that premieres on Disney Plus May 31. Henson of course created Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Big...
26/04/2024
The ice continues to melt under the regional sports network business as the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League have made a long-term deal to broadcast...
26/04/2024
Heading into the upfronts, Warner Bros. Discovery said it launched Olli, a first-party data platform advertiser can use for converged, targeted advertising camp...
26/04/2024
CBS has renewed the drama The Equalizer, which will see season five on in 2024-2025. Queen Latifah stars....
26/04/2024
The CW has entered into an exclusive multiyear broadcast partnership for the Miss USA Pageant and the Miss Teen USA Pageant. The 73rd Miss USA Pageant will air ...
26/04/2024
Fuse Media isn't mincing words in a campaign urging its young viewers to register and participate in the 2024 elections....
26/04/2024
Dead Boy Detectives, a series from Neil Gaiman about a detective agency staffed by ghosts, debuts on Netflix April 25. George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri are in t...
26/04/2024
The Story Collective has gradually repurposed the former Mortlake Brewery to include production offices, workshops and sound stages
By Matthew Corrigan
Publi...
26/04/2024
Perkett joins the company following a 25 year career in product management, product marketing, engineering and user experience (UX) across multiple industries
...
26/04/2024
Teradek, the industry leader in wireless video transmitters and receivers, announced today the launch of new Bolt 6 LT 750 and Bolt 6 Monitor Module 750 RX with...
26/04/2024
NEW YORK Amagi has appointed Richard Perkett chief product officer (CPO)....
26/04/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has announced the results of the 2024 NAB Radio and Television Board of Directors elections. The...
26/04/2024
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. & NEW YORK Mattel has announced a deal to launch its first three 24/7 free ad supported streaming (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus, Samsung...
26/04/2024
PORTLAND, Maine Viewers here can now receive the NextGen TV signals of five local stations with the launch of ATSC 3.0 service from host station WPFO, which is ...
26/04/2024
TORONTO Rogers Communications has signed a 10-year agreement with Comcast to bring the latest Xfinity products and technology to Canadians....
26/04/2024
Calrec is very pleased to announce the benefits of its highly flexible approach to customer service has been recognized with a third award for the Argo range. T...
26/04/2024
New Adobe Photoshop with Advanced Generative Fill and Generate Image Brings New ...
26/04/2024
Trends And Takeaways From NAB Show 2024
Melanie Ciotti April 25, 2024
0 Comments
NAB's Eric Trabb (right) awards SNS with two NAB Show Product of ...
26/04/2024
Sony's Ci Media Cloud Keeps NHRA Moving
Brie Clayton April 25, 2024
0 Comments
Cloud-Based Media Asset Management and Collaboration Platform Accel...
26/04/2024
Capitol Broadcasting & Leadership Triangle Collaborate for Third Year
Capitol B...
26/04/2024
The staff at CBC Radio have been hard at work creating several new features for listeners and viewers. Several debuts are taking place this spring.
I have nev...
26/04/2024
26 Apr 2024
Cricket Finds Its Digital Home in Bangladesh: VEON's Banglalink...
26/04/2024
NBA Playoffs 2024: ESPN Rolls Out Huge Production Operation for Busy First Round Tech deployments include miked on-field personnel, shot-distance tracking, AR g...
26/04/2024
NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: ESPN Ops Team Navigates Both Sides of the Border With ...
26/04/2024
Behind the Scenes at the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit (Photo Gallery) After just the first round, the 2024 NFL Draft has already made quite an impression in Detroi...
26/04/2024
NFL Draft 2024: Van Wagner Powers Onsite Entertainment Experience for Record Cro...
26/04/2024
Rohde & Schwarz presents spectrum dominance in all domains at AOC Europe Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates the next generation of SIGINT/EW systems and sensor fusi...
26/04/2024
MCine Mauritius is to use Qube Wire for all future DCP deliveries across their e...
26/04/2024
Skeem Saam' May Spoiler: Has Lehasa killed Khwezi?The Skeem Saam' May teasers mention Lehasa being apologetic about killing someone. Is it his baby mam...
26/04/2024
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 25 April 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African s...
26/04/2024
Prison Journalism: Some issues to considerWesley Leong was incarcerated at the age of 15 in 1996 at Pollsmoor Prison. He is currently part of Restore's rese...
26/04/2024
Tonight on Scandal: A line is crossed and a mother starts to lose focusDon't miss Friday, 26 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Scandal! o...
MLB Opening Day: ESPN Brings Sunday Night Baseball Into Analytic Age With Volumetric Replays, Win Probability' in Scorebug SNB will also make the leap from 720p to 1080p this season By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. 
