Red Bee Media to Showcase FIFA World Cup Graphics at IBC 2010

Red Bee Media’s sports graphics service Piero, used by 22 broadcasters at this year’s FIFA World Cup including BBC Sport, ITV Sport, RTE, Sky Italia, Canal + and Al Jazeera, is to showcase its latest features at IBC 2010, held at RAI, Amsterdam between 9-14 September.

Ground breaking graphics on display will include a host of new effects, some using the very latest in technology to interpret and illustrate third party data. Graphics include; real stadium, a virtual stadium effect that provides an alternative viewing perspective in replays; and jumbotron that shows a real video feed on a virtual big screen within the stadium effect.

Other graphics to be showcased include; kick analysis, a new feature that plots a ball’s trajectory from a side view; dynamic player tracking that highlights a player‘s path, distance covered and speed; and the laser wall that annotates offside and goal decisions.

In addition, Red Bee Media will exhibit Piero’s innovative illustrations of third party data. One system is Magma Pro Powered by Piero, an extension of Piero that captures, grades and presents data from deltatre that is then illustrated. Magma Pro was used by 7 of the 22 broadcasters who employed Piero at the FIFA World Cup 2010 and included Brazilian broadcaster Rede Bandairants, US channel Univision, Mexican station Azteca TV in addition to the Host Broadcast Services (HBS).

Red Bee Media will also show a new feature developed using third party data from Opta that illustrates where on the pitch players have touched the ball, a graphic used by BBC Sport at the World Cup 2010 to illustrate England’s Steven Gerrard and his preferred position in the centre of the field instead of his allotted role on the left hand side of midfield.

Bruce Lynn, General Manager of Piero at Red Bee Media, said: “Piero continues to pioneer innovative and exciting 3D graphics that bring greater insight to crucial sports moments. This year’s World Cup was no exception with the introduction of a range of virtual effects that enhanced its broadcast to a record audience worldwide. And by taking data from third parties, Piero is now able to explain in one clear image the key story from many lines of data. With 22 broadcast clients for the World Cup, we now serve over 10% of the global market which is testament to the graphics service and continues Piero’s uptake internationally around major sporting events.”