Beyond the scoreboard: The future of sports media

BMW Park in Germany now has a permanent glass floor. Image: Christina Pahnke Sampics

From smart courts to supersonic stadiums, LIVE explores AV tech shaping the future of sports media

Words Oliver Webb

2001 marked a significant development when it came to audio-visual technology in the sports sector, with the introduction of Hawkeye during coverage of a cricket Test match between Pakistan and England. The advanced camera system is used to track the trajectory of a ball and also provides real-time data for accurate decision-making. It wasn’t long before other sports such as tennis and ice hockey followed suit and implemented the technology too. AV has not only shaped how matches are officiated but also serves as a useful tool for athlete performance and fan engagement. Innovations in cameras, audio systems, LED video walls and real-time signal distribution are at the forefront of improving coverage of games – and are changing how fans experience them, both in person and at home.

Sustainable pixel power

At the centre of many forms of sport are the LED screens that allow fans, both present and at home, to stay close to the action. They might have been around since the sixties – and have been an integral part of the sporting world since the nineties – but they continue to play a major role in stadiums, and the tech powering them is rapidly advancing.

According to Ross Noonan, technical marketing and training manager at DigiLED, the LED display world, despite its influence, has a hidden problem: standby power use. “When your crowds aren’t around, you ought to be switching those screens off completely,” he begins. “You might think, easy enough – I’ll hit the breaker switch, or a bunch of them if it’s a massive set-up. And while that’s one way to do it – shutting them down is straightforward – the real headache comes when you try to power them back up safely without any hitches.”

DigiLED’s Zeus has also been installed at The O2 in London to help manage its LED displays

Firing up LED screens again can cause a surge of inrush current, which might trip breakers or even damage older parts with the sudden stress. “The larger the screen, the higher the risk,” says Noonan. “That’s why, for years, most LED displays aren’t ever fully turned off. They’re just set to black or some kind of ‘pseudo standby’ mode, where they can still draw up to 17% of their maximum power while doing absolutely nothing.”

DigiLED came up with Zeus, the zero-energy-use system, to combat this problem. Zeus is a power management set-up designed to drop standby power to zero and handle safe restarts for indoor and outdoor screens alike. “Sports venues have always been at the forefront of using huge, bright LED displays, so they’re perfectly placed to get the most out of something like Zeus,” he explains. “Since it launched, it’s been fitted in 85 sites worldwide (and counting), including big-name arenas like The O2 in London, the Scottish Event Campus and grounds for cricket clubs such as Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Sussex County Cricket Club. The benefits add up quickly. Take Yorkshire County Cricket, as an example. Since 2023, they’ve saved £28,500, cut energy use by 101,545kWh and reduced CO2 emissions by 25,792kg. We’re always striving for better, constantly progressing with energy-saving options to become a greener stadium.”

Slap Shot

AI camera tracking is significantly impacting live sports by automating and enhancing how games are filmed, analysed and experienced. Major sporting leagues, such as the Premier League, NHL and NBA, have already incorporated AI camera tracking systems to both improve coverage and support officiating. For fans, the technology has enhanced viewing significantly and viewers are able to capture fast-flowing action without missing any details.

Founded in 2013, Pixellot devised automated production that enables high-quality video coverage at a fraction of the cost of traditional production. The Pixellot Show S3 is one of the most advanced AI sports camera systems. “It brings elite-level broadcasting and analysis to youth and grassroots sport across Africa and beyond,” says Wayne Evans, sales director, Africa. “Powered by our sport-specific AI, the system continuously learns and improves by processing data from thousands of games streamed every week. With a three-camera array that captures every angle in ultra-wide 12K, the Show S3 automatically tracks the action and streams broadcast-quality video live and on demand, without any camera operators needed.”

Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s utilisation of the DigiLED power management system Zeus has cut cost

Throughout Africa, the S3 is giving schools, clubs and academies access to consistent, high-quality coverage – not just for the match day but also for development and growth. “Coaches can review every game with full replays, create highlights and access detailed performance analytics,” notes Evans. “It is a powerful tool to drive improvement, track progress and support talent at all levels. I see the S3 as a platform for opportunity, connection and recognition, helping shape the future of sport across Africa by giving every single player, team and supporter the chance to be seen and celebrated.”

In an exclusive partnership with AI Sport Africa, Pixellot is powering the largest school and youth sports broadcasting initiative ever launched on the continent. Beyond Supersport Schools, Pixellot’s partnership with AI Sport Africa extends to regional projects such as the Nigeria Premier Football League, the Zambia Super League, the first international rugby match in Zimbabwe and pilot initiatives across East Africa.

“We are also seeing this impact replicated globally through our various partnerships with major broadcasters,” says Evans. “Sports Engine Play has extended its multi-year collaboration with us, accelerating NBC’s efforts to activate game streaming from youth sports facilities across the US. The partnership now includes livestreaming coverage of more than 10,000 games, with select games even streaming live on Peacock. Similarly, CBC/Radio-Canada launched their youth sports platform with 100 Pixellot AI cameras and has been expanding to provide more access to Canadian youth sports across hockey, volleyball, football, soccer, basketball, field lacrosse and rugby.”

Smart court takeover

Smart courts have become a prominent feature across the sporting world, and ASB Glass Floor has been leading the way in implementing their use. Its patented glass flooring technology combines the durability of traditional sports floors with the adaptability of glass via two products: the Lumiflex – the first full LED video sports floor made of glass, certified for professional sports – and ASB Multisports, which features customisable LED game lines activated via touchscreen.

Pixellot’s AI sports camera system, the Show S3, automatically tracks action

ASB Glass Floor’s first major project was the 2023 Fiba Under-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup. “Fiba, for the first time ever, changed the rules and glass floor was allowed,” says Stephanie Pfeffer, marketing manager at ASB. “Until then, only wooden courts were used. They basically changed the rules for us as we are the only sports glass floor provider in the world. The athletes were all very excited about it because you have better grip on the glass floor than on a wooden floor, and it’s not slippery or hard when you fall. Those are usually the typical concerns people have around playing on glass. So, this was the first official proof of concept for our highest level of competition.”

ASB Glass Floor has also worked with the NBA. “They reached out to us, which was very exciting because the US is such a big market, especially in basketball,” says Pfeffer. “We also had the FC Bayern Munich installation for the season opener in 2023, which was our first step into basketball in Germany. After that, we got our first permanent installation for FC Bayern at BMW Park, which functions as a multi-functional arena. It’s a nice case study for the multi-functionality of a venue, where you don’t have to completely build or rebuild it just to be able to integrate new technology. It was initially built for the Olympics in 1972 and now serves as one of the premier destinations when it comes to venues in Germany because of the technology they have installed.”

Since ASB Glass Floor’s inception, there has been growing demand for glass floor technology. “In the past, fans went to actually watch the sport,” says Pfeffer. “Now we are in this ‘sportainment’ era where people expect more than just sports. They want to be entertained around the sport. Our floor is at the centre of the entire arena, so you can do so much more with it. There are so many capabilities, but I feel that brands sometimes don’t know what to do with it. That’s why we do events, such as Beats N Buckets, which was a great opportunity to show sponsors what is possible and how they can use the floor in creative ways.”

ASB Glass Floor is also able to integrate the floor with various tracking systems. “For example, we had a partnership with Shot Tracker where we included their tracking system,” says Pfeffer. “We developed games and you can track the ball and get to see the statistics on the floor. Essentially, we are picking up live data and displaying it directly to the fans, as well as to the coaches themselves. The floors are used for much more than fan engagement and sponsorship, they are also used for player development and coaching and it can be used to increase players’ performances and training. We are currently developing a tool where coaches can draw drills on an iPad and then run the drill on the floor.”

Play Sight is another company specialising in this area, and its Smart Court AI technology has helped take sports entertainment and performance to the next level. “We founded Play Sight with the mission of democratising sports technologies,” says co-founder and CEO Chen M Shachar. “We launched our first product back in 2014. We turn courts into a smart court by connecting the internet and using cameras with AI technology. We’re essentially connecting the on-court activities and the digital world.”

At Leeds United’s Elland Road, there are more than 100 Martin Audio speakers. Image: Martin Audio

Initially starting in tennis, Play Sight offers AI-based solutions for more than 40 sports. It was important for Play Sight to develop affordable technology, not just for elite-level clubs and teams. “It had to be fully autonomous, with a very easy set-up and installation,” says Shachar. “The smart court provides four main services, the first of which being automated production, which means a customer can stream or broadcast live with no camera operator on the premises,” he continues. “Roughly 90% of sports can’t afford to bring in television crews to produce their game like the NBA or Premier League do. The ability to automatically stream live with no camera operator means that, now, every sports organisation can easily engage with their fans, monetise their content and raise the visibility of their sport or club. Every player can now engage with their followers as well.”

The second use is player development, implementing AI and video technology to enhance the performance of the players. The third use is VAR. “Officiating has become essential for sportsmanship. Every Play Sight smart court comes with a VAR system built in. So, instead of having VAR at just the elite levels, this enables every second- or third-tier league to use the technology. Everything we do, and at the core of the technology, is our ability to automatically track the players and the ball using AI technology,” Shachar explains.

Play Sight has more than 600 sports organisations worldwide on its books with some of the top names in sports, including 23 NBA teams, hundreds of college programmes in different sports, private schools, multi-sports academies and all the major tennis federations. Recently, its focuses have shifted towards padel and pickleball.

“I believe that, in the near future, every sports facility is going to have AI cameras integrated into their facility,” argues Shachar. “Padel, for example, is growing rapidly in the UK, and in a few years all these clubs will incorporate AV.

“They are going to be smart and will feature advanced cameras, players will also be able to use the technology to get their automatic highlights of the game and share that on social media.

“They will also use AI technology to find out about their statistics, and to get recommendations about how to improve their game. They will be able to livestream all the tournaments that run there. And Play Sight is proud to be part of that technology revolution in sports.”

Supersonic stadiums

In the UK, football stadiums have been around since the mid-to-late 1800s. Constructed in 1897, Elland Road has been the home of Leeds United since the club’s formation in 1919. Since then, of course, the ground has gone through numerous redevelopments, but keeping the ground up to date isn’t without its challenges. As part of a general stadium upgrade, and as a precursor to increasing the venue’s capacity with Leeds United returning to the Premier League for the current 2025-26 season, more than 100 Martin Audio speakers were installed to provide coverage across all four stands, including the corners, TV production studios, hospitality and general ancillary areas. This reflects the growing influence and ambition of the club’s owner, 49ers Enterprises, and its desire to create a significantly more engaging match-day experience.

The Beats N Buckets event enabled ASB Glass Floor to showcase its high-tech flooring

In Portugal, Sport Lisboa e Benfica recently partnered with Clear-Com to upgrade the communications systems at the Estádio da Luz. The stadium first opened in 2003 and currently seats more than 65,000 spectators. The upgrade has addressed essential communication challenges, including radio coverage issues in critical areas such as the pitch entrance tunnel and bench area, which are enclosed by thick safety glass, as well as providing comprehensive coverage across the entire pitch and fan zone. The partnership highlights the commitment to enhancing both fan experience and operational efficiency at one of Europe’s leading football venues.

Technological innovations are also paving the way for future stadiums. Set to host the 2034 World Cup, Saudi Arabia has announced the tournament will be played across 15 stadiums, 11 of which are yet to be built. One of the planned venues is Roshn Stadium, featuring a football stadium with a 45,000-seat capacity and surrounded by an integrated ecosystem of retail outlets, restaurants and hospitality facilities. Another planned venue is a stadium set 350 metres above ground level. The proposed stadium in Neom, an as-yet-unbuilt city in the north-west of the country, will only be accessible via high-speed lifts and driverless vehicles. The Qiddiya Coast Stadium, meanwhile, will feature a ripple design to evoke the look of a Mexican wave, while the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Riyadh will be located on a clifftop.

Out of the Park

Despite all the benefits brought by AV technology in sports, there are still potential downsides to relying too much on technology. While tools have been successfully implemented to boost fan experiences and improve officiating, some tools have had the opposite effect. Take VAR in the English Premier League, for example. Ask any football fan who has had to endure a VAR review (sometimes upwards of five minutes) and they will no doubt tell you that it takes away from the unique atmosphere of a game.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica partnered with Clear-Com in Portugal

The future of sports media, whether that’s professional or youth sports, is deeply personal, highly interactive and powered by intelligent automation. “Fans no longer just watch, they engage,” says Evans. “They expect multi-angle views, smart replays, curated highlights, player stats and sport-specific analytics tailored to the unique demands of each game or athlete, whether it is the Champions League or a school match down the road. Schools, clubs and academies are no longer just participants in sport. They are content publishers, fan platforms and commercial entities.”

He adds: “Matches become moments to be shared, monetised and archived. Sponsors can integrate directly into the experience. Families can follow every game, every week, from anywhere. This is the future we are building. Every team has a spotlight. Every fan now has a front-row seat. And every organisation has the tools to bring their game to life, on and off the field.”

This feature was first published in the Sep/Oct 2025 issue of LIVE.