Fox’s Super Bowl broadcast will reportedly feature virtual point-of-view replays

One day, it’s reasonable to imagine, athletes will have cameras embedded in their helmets or uniforms so that television viewers can see the game from their perspective.

These replays, which can feature any player on the field, will come in 15-30 second clips that will take about two minutes to put together. That lag time could make it hard to fit the technology seamlessly mid-drive, but it could certainly be useful for big moments.

From Variety:

“From the beginning, seeing and breaking down the play from the player’s point of view is the undiscovered country of sports broadcasting,” said Michael Davies, Fox Sports senior VP of field and technical operations. “This broadcast enhancement is like no other — it literally brings the audience down to the viewpoint of the player at the critical decision-making moment.”

Fox Sports says it may use up to 20 “Be the Player” replays during the Super Bowl. The broadcaster’s Super Bowl LI production will use three production trucks and more than 30 cameras to deliver more than 20 hours of programming daily from Discovery Green in Houston, in addition to the more than 70 cameras at NRG Stadium covering the game.

Fox has released a demo version of this technology, with a replay from the Foster Farms Bowl between Indiana and Utah. The clip gives us the quarterback’s perspective as he throws a touchdown pass.

This reconstructed point-of-view concept feels like something that could be incredibly cool if pulled off well and incredibly cheesy if it looks like a video game. Only 110 million people will be watching, so no pressure, Fox.

[Variety]