The first deployment at SailGP, a nine-event season that provides a thrilling and exhilarating experience for global fans.
A global digital ecosystem enabler, Tata Communication is enhancing the sports experience of fans with its Virtual Video Assisted Referee (V-VAR) solution. This solution, which is powered by Tata Communications’ Media Cloud, allows an unlimited number of umpires, referees, and judges to connect remotely from anywhere in the world to assess and declare the winner as contestants race to the finish line, providing a high-tech, nail-biting experience to excited fans during a race. Tata Communications now gives sporting events and federations the option of ‘anywhere refereeing.’
SailGP, the world sailing championship, is the first sports organisation to use Tata Communications’ V-VAR for its nine-event season, which runs from 2021 to 2022, with umpires in London, Portugal, and New Zealand. Season 2 of SailGP takes place in Bermuda, Italy, the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Tata Communications is carrying 20+ video feeds from the broadcast centre at the event venue-site for the league’s second season. Tata Communications’ Media Cloud makes every signal instantaneously available, allowing for enormous processing capability. V-VAR takes the extremely popular concept of Video Assistant Referee to the next level with these applications, allowing judges from all over the world to analyse the action and officiate remotely as if they were at the event’s ringside.
“We are excited to be the first sport to use Tata Communications’ Virtual Video Assisted Referee solution. We are constantly looking at ways to innovate and use technology to not only bring our global fans closer to the action, but also create digital solutions that support our Race for the Future ethos. The V-VAR not only ensures that our umpires have immediate access to all the data needed to make crucial, split-second decisions, but also – by being able to operate remotely – we reduce the carbon footprint of our umpiring operations” said Warren Jones, Chief Technology Officer, SailGP.
SailGP also uses Tata Communications’ Video Delivery Network (VDN), a next-generation low-latency streaming infrastructure for delivering a broadcast experience direct to consumer, in addition to the V-VAR solution.VDN combines the best parts of traditional broadcasting and new-age OTT applications, delivering high-quality, low-latency, synchronous viewing, as well as interactivity and next-generation data flows, for a totally unique viewing experience. The VDN-powered SailGP app was available to sailing enthusiasts in Bermuda, allowing them to participate with the event while watching the live racing.
“We are happy to further digital innovation & help reduce carbon footprint in live sports through Virtual Video Assisted Referee solution. Also, our low latency streaming solution enables global sports federations deliver video in sync or faster than live TV. From umpires to fans, these digital solutions enable organisations to offer a thrilling and high-drama experience to the entire sports ecosystem.”
Dhaval Ponda, Global Head of Media & Entertainment Business at Tata Communications, commented, “We are happy to further digital innovation & help reduce carbon footprint in live sports through Virtual Video Assisted Referee solution. Also, our low latency streaming solution enables global sports federations deliver video in sync or faster than live TV. From umpires to fans, these digital solutions enable organisations to offer a thrilling and high-drama experience to the entire sports ecosystem.” He adds, “Our experience of delivering over 9,000 global live events across multiple sports disciplines, has so far reached over 2 billion sports fans with sports content delivered across various broadcast platforms. We are excited to be a part of SailGP, a one-of-its-kind global event, and are looking forward to an exciting season.”