Fox extends technology relationship with Sportvision to enhance sports telecasts

Representing its most comprehensive network deal ever, Sportvision, a provider of digital sports content and broadcast enhancements, has extended its existing partnership with the Fox Sports Media Group (FSMG), to include all NFL games through the 2013-2014 season, all MLB games through the 2013 season and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races through the 2014 season. These broadcasts will appear on Fox Sports, SPEED and Fox Sports Net’s 19 regional sports networks.

As the exclusive provider of the ubiquitous Yellow 1st & Ten Line to NFL games on Fox broadcasts since 1999, Sportvision will continue to provide the Yellow Line and a breadth of graphic enhancements for all NFL games on Fox telecasts (regular season and playoffs) through the 2013-2014 season.

In addition to the Yellow Line, the portfolio of enhancements will include the following:

  • Down & Distance, an effect that made its television debut on Fox Sports in 2006, and has become a staple of all telecasts. This effect enables Fox Sports to virtually insert the actual down and distance, play clock and other relevant information onto the playing field surface via an arrow graphic featuring the offensive team logo.
  • The Red Zone graphic, which enables Fox Sports to virtually place data and graphics on the field between the 20 yard line and the goal line to highlight an offensive or defensive team’s proficiency within this zone.
  • The Line of Scrimmage, which affords fans the ability to follow the duration of each play, knowing where the play originated.
  • Video in Perspective, which enables virtual placement of a video billboard window within the venue, displaying game highlights and other interesting video segments.

MLB coverage on Fox will be highlighted by the PITCHf/x pitch tracking system, which debuted for the first time on television during the 2005 All-Star Game, and is now operational at all 30 MLB ballparks. The PITCHf/x System, which measures every pitch thrown in baseball and generates comprehensive data that is used by analysts to enhance television broadcasts, as well as Internet and wireless applications, will be integrated into Fox’s coverage of the MLB All-Star Game, playoffs and World Series coverage through the 2013 season.

In addition, Fox Sports Net regional sports networks will incorporate a variation of the system in 1900 game telecasts this season, and will continue to use the PITCHf/x System through 2013. Further, Sportvision will also continue to deliver Virtual Advertising for the Fox Saturday Baseball Game of the Week, All-Star Game, League Championship Series and World Series throughout the duration of this agreement.

Since debuting the RACEf/x System during coverage of the 2001 Daytona 500, Sportvision has been instrumental in the continued evolution of NASCAR on Fox broadcasts.

Sportvision’s RACEf/x System develops a complete "digital record" of a NASCAR race in real time, delivering a broad array of visual effects for television, including 3D graphics and rich data. Using Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, RACEf/x tracks and collects location information and car performance data from every car in the field — including acceleration, braking, lap position, speed, gear position and RPMs, and also delivers the data to the Fox Sports and SPEED telecasts, as well as Internet and wireless applications in real-time.

This agreement ensures that the RACEf/x System will continue to be incorporated into coverage of all Sprint Cup races, on Fox Sports and SPEED’s on-track NASCAR programming, including Sprint Cup qualifying and practice, and Camping World Truck Series events.

Sportvision’s effects have won eight Emmy Awards for technical achievement.