How Technology Will Boost The El Clásico Viewing Experience For Fans

March opens with the most-anticipated fixture in the LaLiga Santander calendar, ElClásico, with Real Madrid CF taking on FC Barcelona on 1 March in Spain’s capital. A global TV spectacle, the match will be broadcast in detail by 33 simulcast 4K HDR-HD production cameras located around the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. 

LaLiga, along with its official producer, MEDIAPRO, will use all of their technological prowess to once again make ElClásico the most spectacular televised football match on the planet, bringing the best football to every corner of the world and allowing the viewer to experience the match atmosphere as if they were sat right there in the stadium. 

Revolutionary technology to broadcast the best football

Matches from LaLiga take on another dimension thanks to being produced in 4K-HDR, which LaLiga uses for its biggest matches in partnership with the competition’s official producer, the MEDIAPRO Group. LaLiga is one of the few sporting events in the world that is broadcast in HDR which allows the viewer to enjoy the atmosphere of the game as if they were in the stadium. 

This is the technology that will be used to bring Real Madrid CF versus FC Barcelona to all corners of the planet:

• Tracking cameras from MediaCoach, automatically controlled to follow the game and offer a live tactical shot for coaching tems. The signal from this camera can be analysed in real time in the stadiums, as well as via streaming from any location. Additionally, the sound systems from the tracking cameras are able to modify the sound based on the real-time location of the ball, allowing the viewer to get a real feel of what the stars are experiencing.
• Aerial camera: At 21 metres above the playing field, this is a camera that offers unique images for the viewer, providing a spectacular perspective of the game and stadium. Its height allows more flexibility and speedier movement, giving a unique perspective of the playing field. 

This compact HD camera has a 2/3 wide-angle lens and a 14X zoom that broadcasts images by optical fibre from the playing field to the mobile unit. The camera can cover an area of almost 7,000 m2 during periods without play (pre-match, interval and post-match).

• 360° Replay Technology: by means of the 38 Ultra High Definition cameras placed throughout the stadium, this allows the creation of the 360° volumetric videoclips that are used in the broadcasts. This technology makes it possible to recreate 3D replays of any move and offers viewers from all over the world a unique perspective from any angle of the field of play. 

Also, ‘Be The Player’ software, which debuted in the first leg of ElClásico in the 2017/18 season, puts the viewer in the same position as the player is located during a play. This angle lets the viewer see the action just as the player sees it on the playing field. 

• 3D graphics: LaLiga is the only national competition in the world that uses innovative Live 3D technology to create virtual graphics in live broadcasts that complement the match information that the viewer receives, providing a unique and original visual enhancement of the match. 

This tool also allows tactical and positioning changes and a deeper analysis of the moves to be displayed during action replays. Live 3D graphics are made possible both live and in replays thanks to tracking from three cameras.

ElClásico live in 182 countries

One hundred and eighty-two countries around the world will be able to enjoy an immersive experience and high quality football thanks to the technology used in the production and broadcasting of ElClásico, reaching a potential audience of more than 650 million people. 

More than 23 accredited international television channels in territories such as France, MENA, USA, French Africa, Poland, Greece, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Belgium, Portugal, Brazil, India, China, Finland, Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Japan, and the Netherlands will witness the most-anticipated match of the season. This is in addition to the 210 broadcasters that will televise the match played between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona.