NFL to screen Intel Israel developed replays

For the 2017/18 season, Intel and the National Football League (NFL) are delivering more immersive replays to football fans with Intel freeD technology in 11 NFL stadiums. The technology for the replays was developed in Israel by Replay Technologies, which was acquired by Intel in 2016 for $175 million.

Each football stadium is equipped with 38 5K ultrahigh-definition cameras to capture the greatest plays from every angle and create enhanced 360° highlights and player perspectives.

Building on existing installations at the stadiums of the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers, Intel is working with eight new NFL teams, adding one freeD technology-enabled stadium to each division in the AFC and NFC. The eight stadiums newly equipped with freeD are: Arizona Cardinals; Carolina Panthers; Cleveland Browns; Indianapolis Colts; Kansas City Chiefs; Minnesota Vikings; New England Patriots; and the Washington Redskins

Fans at freeD technology-enabled stadiums will be able to access and share the highlights via NFL.com, the NFL Mobile app, the NFL YouTube channel and across NFL team digital offerings. Fans will also experience the enhanced replays in-stadium for closer views of the action on the field.

Intel Sports general manager James Carwana said, “By expanding freeD to more teams across the NFL, we’re empowering fans to see every side of the play and relive the excitement of game-changing moments. During Super Bowl LI, fans experienced a pivotal play from the quarterback’s point of view. Seeing key plays up close and from new perspectives is redefining what it means to watch the game.”

NFL Digital Media SVP Vishal Shah said, "We’re thrilled to bring this innovative content to NFL fans both in stadium and at home with freeD technology. Partnering with Intel has enabled a new way for fans to experience the excitement of our game. The vision of this technology to place the viewer anywhere on the field has the potential to be impactful across multiple areas of the League.” For sports fans, this means experiencing the plays in more immersive ways. In addition to the 5K ultrahigh-definition cameras, each venue is equipped with servers that process up to 1 terabyte of data per 15- to 30-second clip. After capturing this data, the volumetric video is fed through miles of fiber-optic cables into a special control room, where the Intel production team virtually recreates the selected clip in 3D from an ideal vantage point or player’s perspective to take fans directly into the game from angles traditional cameras can’t reach.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 7, 2017