Tag Archives: graphics

National Lacrosse League Chooses Flowics Graphics for Cloud-Based, Broadcast Graphics Workflow

Flowics, creator of the most comprehensive cloud-based platform for powering remote and in-studio production of live graphics and interactive content, announced today that the National Lacrosse League (NLL) is using Flowics Graphics as the primary graphics engine in the United States for the 2021-22 season. With Flowics Graphics, NLL has an all-in-one solution that provides broadcast quality graphics, live data integration, and fan engagement features in a single platform that simplifies its workflow and reduces costs.

On the heels of its landmark media rights deals with ESPN, ESPN+, and Canada’s TSN for both linear and streaming distribution, the NLL decided to implement a remote production workflow for the majority of its game productions. That workflow hinges on a combination of IP-transmission and cloud-based production platforms. Flowics Graphics play a central role in this new workflow, serving as the main graphics engine powering the live game broadcasts, including scorebug, game stats and insert graphics.

“Flowics is a game changer in the creation and delivery of broadcast quality graphics,” said Joel Feld, EVP Broadcast and Content, NLL. “The league’s broadcast operations team continues to add innovative, best-in-class technology partners to our productions and presentations that offer viewers the most tech-forward and fan-first experience.”

NLL’s Flowics Graphics implementation includes native data connectors integrating the Sportzcast live scoreboard API and the official NLL stats provider API to deliver live scoreboard and stats into the broadcasts. Flowics’ data connector architecture enables the NLL to create the game scorebug running fully on the cloud, taking live scoreboard data via Sportzcast devices installed at each venue. The Flowics data connector also directly integrates with the NLL stats database, including live in-game data. This automates the creation and operation of nearly all graphics with season stats (player and team), match stats, standings, etc.

Flowics Graphics also is helping the NLL to reduce production costs. Flowics’ cloud-based platform provides an economical, robust, and stable feature set to handle remote production, allowing the NLL to reduce travel and capital expenses. The combination of IP-based transmission and cloud-based production tools are reshaping traditional broadcast production workflows.  The location of the production team is no longer the main driver of production.

The NLL’s remote production workflow, made possible by Flowics Graphics, simplifies local operation with minimal hardware and no OB trucks needed on-site. The league also benefits from having decentralized access to Flowics’, cloud-based graphics package in HTML5 that can be easily shared with the teams and the different production companies that work with the NLL.

In terms of revenue generation, Flowics Graphics gives the NLL opportunities for increased ad inventory thanks to the platform’s fan engagement features.

“Together with the NLL, we are putting new production workflows to test, and they are working beyond expectation. We’re proving that there are flexible, agile, and more affordable ways to produce live sports that work as well or better than the traditional production hardware workflows. This is probably one of the most sophisticated implementations of Flowics Graphics to date, and we are gratified that the NLL is pleased with the results,” said Flowics CEO Gabriel Baños. “This is a big step forward for Flowics, as we closed our first long-term partnership with a professional sports league in the U.S. market. It’s confirmation that the industry is moving quickly toward adopting more cloud-based workflows, and Flowics is dedicated to playing a leading role in that transformation.”

Data Driven Sports/ShotTracker to Provide Data and Advanced Analytics for Big 12 Basketball

Data Driven Sports (DDSports), the parent company of ShotTracker, today announced they have entered into an agreement with ESPN to provide data and analytics for Big 12 Conference basketball games. The multi-year deal gives ESPN the opportunity to integrate ShotTracker data throughout its linear and digital properties to drive fan engagement, enhanced storytelling and broadcast automation. The first stage of the collaboration kicked off last Saturday afternoon with advanced graphics integrated into ESPN’s broadcast of the Kansas vs. Texas Tech men’s basketball game on ESPN2. The video can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFpMRT5C2Jw

ShotTracker is entering its second year of partnership with the Big 12 Conference, which has integrated ShotTracker’s sensor-based technology in its arenas and practice facilities for the men’s and women’s programs, as well as into basketballs and player jerseys. The output of this integration is sub-second X-Y-Z player and ball location data and over 100 real-time stats, including advanced analytics such as lineup efficiency, ball movement stats and screen types with outcomes. ESPN will now have access to the same advanced stats that Big 12 coaching staff utilize on the bench via the ShotTracker team app to optimize their lineups and play calling.

“We are thrilled to be working closely with ESPN to drive what will be unprecedented innovation in sports,” said Davyeon Ross, ShotTracker Co-Founder and President. “Our autonomous, sub-second data has the potential to impact many areas of their business, including not only personalized fan engagement but also broadcast efficiencies and increased content output.”

As part of the new ESPN Edge Innovation Center, ShotTracker is working closely with ESPN to test various new enhancements across ESPN’s fan-facing platforms.

“We are excited to use ShotTracker technology as it provides sports fans with more in-depth stats and analysis for the sports they know and love,” said Kevin Lopes, Senior Director of Content Business Development & Innovation at ESPN.

Data Driven Sports/ShotTracker Announces Automated Content Products To Drive Engagement And Revenue

Data Driven Sports (DDSports), the parent company of ShotTracker,  today unveiled an exciting suite of new products to support digital publishers and broadcasters in engaging and monetizing college basketball fans this upcoming season. Leveraging the ShotTracker’s unique, real-time player and ball tracking data, combined with automated content and analytics platforms, DDSports now offers three innovative products designed to efficiently increase sponsorable content for its clients:

  • Automated Visualizations – customizable graphics with sponsor integrations designed for easy publishing to broadcast/OTT, digital, social and in-venue signage.
  • Insights Engine – AI-powered trends and streaks to drive game storylines and data-driven sales campaigns.
  • 3D Gamecast – animated ball and player graphics powered by real-time X-Y-Z location data, designed to allow out-of-market fans to watch their team live, and for all fans to relive exciting game moments. 

The three new products will be available for all men’s and women’s games across top NCAA Division 1 conferences where ShotTracker is installed, and will include unique, data-driven brand activation capabilities. “Our goal is to provide turnkey solutions to leading sports broadcasters and digital publishers to make the integration of ShotTracker data as streamlined and seamless as feasible,” said Davyeon Ross, DDSports/ShotTracker Co-Founder and President. “We commit to innovating and creating digital products that drive new revenue while also streamlining the content production process.”

Automated Visualizations

Leveraging the robust ShotTracker Data API, and through its partnership with IMPACT, a leading automated visualization platform, ShotTracker data will come to life in dynamic graphics designed for use across broadcast/OTT, digital, social and in-venue signage. Graphics that once took hours to produce will now be automatically generated. Broadcast customers will have access to a user portal that will allow for design, data points and sponsor customizations. Product benefits include more content, lower production costs and greater advertising revenue.

Insights Engine

Realizing the increasing need to grab fans’ attention and keep them engaged, ShotTracker has partnered with Inside Edge, a leader in sports analytics, to develop a cutting-edge platform to produce instant insights from ShotTracker’s robust data set. Broadcasters and digital publishers will now have real-time access to unique streaks and trends that once took hours to manually derive. This innovative platform will not only drive engaging storylines for announcers and writers, but will also support high-value sponsor activations.

3D Gamecast

Since many fans do not have access to live game broadcasts, and because game highlight rights are often complex and limited, ShotTracker has developed a real-time visual representation of every second of game action for all ShotTracker-enabled men’s and women’s games across top NCAA Division I conferences. Fans will have the option to watch an entire game or to select key game moments. With ShotTracker’s X-Y-Z data stream, game action comes to life in a more engaging visual representation than the traditional 2D products in the marketplace. Developers can use ShotTracker’s Gamecast SDK to customize design as well as advertiser integrations.