Drone improvements to highlight LIV Golf coverage

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I’m interested to see the reaction to LIV Golf on The CW this year as the series transitions to linear TV and out of YouTube, one of its digital homes during its debut season.

Expect enhanced live drone coverage as the LIV Golf season kicks off in Mexico this weekend, as enhanced aerial views complete with new technology integrations accentuate several broadcast innovations in reach for the 2023 season.

LIV, which will continue to produce the action, will use unique angles and creative graphics to give viewers a better view of how players are attacking each hole and how their shots compare to the rest of the course.

Broadcast innovations were a priority for LIV last year, and now the series wants to capitalize on its best ideas, Chief Media Officer Will Staeger told me.

Drones will be used more often to showcase where players can expect to score better. “We sampled it a couple of times, but we didn’t use the drone splash zones more than a couple of times,” Staeger said. “So, this is something that we’ve perfected.”

Score “splash” zones and player tracking will be an emphasis for drone coverage

LIV has also improved tracking of players on the field from drone cameras, Staeger said. And the league plans to have its main team of drone pilots and equipment in more cities this year after facing logistical issues at some international events in 2022.

The controversial series spared no expense in putting its product together last year, and it appears to be the case again, with more broadcast integrations like heatmaps, wind graphics and innovative tee shot displays also on tap.

While LIV’s F1-inspired L-shaped chart was a clear differentiator for its golf coverage, Staeger said finding the best ways to capitalize on that presentation was a priority during the off-season.

“The style of video gaming that we like to think we have, where there’s a lot of information on the screen, can get a little crowded at times,” he admitted.

Powered by Champion Data, leaderboard pop-outs with more information and clearer player and team standings will be an accent. “This will give us a little more unification of where a lot of this information is presented on screen, but still in a way that I think today’s viewers feel comfortable.”

The rankings will likely include sponsors LIV and CW this year as the two hope to bring in a larger slate of advertisers, Staeger said.

LIV will continue to use Tagboard’s technology to integrate social media posts into broadcasts after finding the feature has helped with storytelling for their broadcast team. Territory Studio serves as the league’s graphics partner for its on-screen innovations.

Showcasing new technology but not overwhelming viewers is key to LIV

Austria-based Visual Vertigo is boosting technology like shot tracking for LIV and is also working on new putting graphics that will debut later this season, giving spectators a more detailed look at the undulation of the greens and the most probable path of a ball to the hole.

Innovation chief Clark Pierce oversees most of LIV’s technology vendors and drives strategy around their implementation, while manufacturing company NEP Group is back with an expanded deal, Staeger said. Other on-site technology partners include SES for satellite broadcasts and Safari Solutions for Wi-Fi and other connectivity logistics.

As part of LIV’s new media rights deal, coverage of the first-round tournament on Fridays will be streamed exclusively on The CW app. But LIV is also expected to announce a broader direct-to-consumer strategy as early as this week.

A source told me that LIV is still sorting out several international TV deals before rolling them out to the public.

And looking forward, LIV may offer more streaming options through another platform, such as a LIV Golf app, as the series develops into OTT offerings over the next few years.

“Our plan is to have team feeds and alternate commentary feeds and some other unique ways to look and see the competition on our direct-to-consumer platforms,” Staeger said of future goals. “Where you just don’t get the same coverage that you would see on television, and there’s a way to customize, and there’s a way to watch it commercial-free, and there’s a way to see some alternative views.”

SBJ profiled each of our 10 most innovative sports tech companies this week, before their achievements are honored at the Sports Business Awards: Tech next month. Read more about them here, and keep an eye out for a special Tech Week preview section on SBJ Tech next week. Wilson is releasing a new 3D printed airless basketball that got the spotlight over the weekend from Rockets forward KJ Martin in the Slam Dunk Contest.

Image credits: LIV Golf

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