LaLiga Returns To Action With A Raft Of Innovations

LaLiga has announced a raft of new broadcast experiences that will be part of the remaining eleven matchdays of the 2019/20 season as the competition returns to action this evening.

Due to the unprecedented situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank matches will look and sound different than they did before the league was postponed.

The innovations have been implemented in two main areas: virtualisation of stands and fan audio as well as new camera positions and the images they will offer to viewers. Both will be carried out with the help of partners and implemented by Mediapro, the official production partner of LaLiga.

“We have made these broadcasting changes so fans can enjoy LaLiga,” said LaLiga President Javier Tebas. “We work with global partners to offer a great viewer experience. We are in an exceptional situation, but for us it has been important to be able to adapt and offer a compelling, cutting-edge broadcast to our fans.”

Virtualised stands and fan audio for television broadcasts

The biggest change for the return of the competition is the virtualised broadcasting that LaLiga will offer to international broadcast partners, which will allow matches to be seen in an attractive way that closely resembles how they looked and sounded before the competition was postponed.

For these broadcasts, the stands will be virtualised and will always offer to-scale images of seated fans wearing the colours of the home club. In moments when the game is stopped, this image of fans can be transformed into a canvas that matches the colour of the home team and will carry institutional messages among other offerings.

This innovative broadcast will also feature virtual sound, which has been obtained through collaboration with EA SPORTS FIFA, in a project called Sounds of the Stands. Through this, the audio library of LaLiga official sponsor EA, which was recorded in real stadiums, has been used and has been digitally adapted so that it can be implemented in real time during the match. It will be adapted to the flow of the game as certain situations occur, such as a goal or a foul, creating what is known as Atmospheric Audio.

Cameras: New angles to bring action closer to fans

The match itself will also be seen differently due to new camera positions. Some cameras will shift their location to positions where they would previously have affected the sightline of fans in the stands.

Among other examples, the aerial camera will modify its flight path to offer new shots; the bench camera will be moved to the opposite stand, while robotic cameras will be used in the tunnel for reasons of health safety.

All of these changes, which will be maintained as long as matches have to be played behind closed doors, continue LaLiga’s commitment to bring fans at home the best experience.

Video projections and hanging exhibitions

To further mark the return of the competition, the league has put together a series of national and international initiatives aimed at raising the excitement and demonstrating that the competition is #BackToWin.

There will be 160 initiatives in over 50 countries, including digital and in-person events, media campaigns, prize draws, competitions and influencer campaigns. Activities also include exhibitions of LaLiga club kits hanging above Spanish cities, projecting fan photos onto iconic buildings using video mapping and urban art exhibitions in 12 cities across the world.

“All these initiatives are going to cover five continents which strengthens LaLiga’s global image. They’ll help us tell our fans that we’re #BackToWin and we’re counting on them. The return of LaLiga is a moment that so many have waited a long time for and we’re going to celebrate it in style,” said Oscar Mayo, LaLiga’s director of business, marketing and international development.

Kit canopies above the streets

LaLiga Santander club kits are one of the competition’s identifying features and will be showcased through hanging exhibitions to generate a buzz ahead of the restart.

Madrid (Calle Preciados), Seville (Calle Tetuan) and Bilbao (Arenal Bridge) will display these exhibitions between 8 and 11 June. The kits, which will carry the #BackToWin message, will create a colourful canopy to get fans in the mood before the competition resumes.

Video mapping projections onto iconic buildings

In the lead up to the restart, the league has given exposure to the real stars of the competition: the fans. It has invited supporters of LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank clubs to take photos in their respective kits and to share them in order to feature in a unique projection campaign.

The images have been projected onto important buildings in various Spanish cities using video mapping on 10 & 11 June. These will be accompanied by a video that pays tribute to the fans of LaLiga who represent the soul of the competition.

An international return

These LaLiga initiatives are not restricted to Spain, with over 80 expected to be rolled out globally.

Among these initiatives, urban art commissioned by LaLiga will appear in 12 cities across five continents, including Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Lagos, Hong Kong, London and Paris. These artworks, displaying the colours and values of the competition, are designed to unite different countries and cultures through football and LaLiga.

LaLigaTV, featuring ALL live matches from Spain’s top flight, is available FREE to Sky UK customers during the entire month of June.

To sign up, visit premiersports.com and enter promo code: BACKTOWIN

Images: PA Images