Star Sports launches enhanced TV viewing interactive features

Mumbai: Star Sports Network, the official broadcaster of TATA IPL 2023 has announced a range of product features for the upcoming season in its continuing endeavour to enhance the viewing experience for fans. The broadcaster continues its association with Dolby to broadcast the tournament with Dolby ATMOS (5.1.4) audio, providing an immersive audio experience on its HD feeds. The broadcaster has worked with Dolby to enhance the configuration of over 40 microphones in the stadium to capture cinematic and sound.   

Star Sports is also launching a range of interactive features with Airtel Digital TV (“Star Sports Pro” available on ‘red button’ on the remote) and with Tata Play (“Star Sports VIP” available on the ‘side button’ on the remote). Features available on the service include ‘real-time highlights’, ‘key moments’, and ‘comprehensive statistics’. The on-demand statistics available to viewers on the touch of a button are powered by ESPN Cricinfo’s revered statistical database. Other features include an ‘Ambience feed’, which provides viewers the option of turning off commentary while experiencing unhindered in-stadia sound and a first-of-its-kind ‘subtitled feed’ which will provide subtitles for commentary during the live match. The live subtitling is powered by a combination of an innovative workflow and AI.

Other than powering features being offered to consumers, technology is playing a key role in driving enhanced coverage of Tata IPL 2023. ‘Holobox’ at the studio will provide an interactive experience that allows fans to teleport and interact with the commentators while ‘Traxis’ enhances graphics in 3D to augment the viewing experience. Additionally, the ‘social listening tool’ will allow real-time fan polling through any social platform on a real-time basis to promote fan engagement. The introduction of Hawkeye 4K Cam, Xeebra Quad Replay, and the VR Immersive Cricket Game aim to elevate the standard of programming and live match coverage.

A Star Sports spokesperson said, "We have always believed that Tata IPL 2023 should be a hotbed for innovation in the world of live sports broadcast. Our coverage, in association with the BCCI, should aim to set global standards. As viewing experiences enter a new era, we want to make sure that we are always pushing boundaries, to serve fans. Our continuous focus on fan behaviour has led us to develop features which complement the viewing spectacle of IPL and still offer the comfort of the lean-back TV experience, which fans love."

Disney Star, over the last two weeks, has unveiled coverage plans for Tata IPL 2023 which seek to drive community viewing, add layers of interactivity, and enhance customisation on Television. Star Sports’ brand of storytelling and association with superstars of the game including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas Iyer promises to take the fan deeper into the game and closer to their heroes than ever before.

A panel of experts comprising World Champions, IPL title winners, marquee coaches and seasoned broadcasters from across the world will present the tournament. Bollywood star Ranveer Singh and Telugu acting legend Nandamuri Balakrishnan are also associated with Star Sports’ broadcast of Tata IPL 2023 to bring alive a never-seen-before spectacle which seeks to engage over 500 million viewers on TV.

Summary of technological innovations:

Special button service: It will consist of 'Real-time Highlights,' which will provide viewers with instant highlights of missed game segments, ‘Key Moments’ will provide viewers highlights of critical game-changing moments from the match and ‘Stats Feed’, in association with ESPN Cricinfo, will provide real-time stats to viewers on television.

Dolby Atmos (Live match feed): The live match feed will be produced in Dolby Atmos sound. This Atmos audio, available on the HD feeds, will enable the viewer to experience the original stadium atmosphere in the comfort of the home.

Ambience-only feed: Viewers will be able to enable the ‘Ambience Only’ mode whenever they wish with just a press of the blue button on their remote which will eliminate commentary and provide a stadium-like atmosphere to fans.

Holobox: This feature is one of the newest advancements in sports broadcasting which provides an interactive experience that allows fans to get a better understanding of key moments in the game.

Subtitled Feed: The subtitled feed will provide live match commentary subtitles. It will allow the broadcaster to provide the IPL to audiences who are differently abled by providing live match commentary subtitles which is an innovation in live sports broadcast. This feature is also highly efficient in noisy areas like pubs and restaurants, allowing viewers to remain invested in the game.

Social listening tool (real-time fan polling through any platform): Fans will also be able to interact with the television by using the social listening tool which provides fans with real-time polls through any platform.

Xeebra Quad Replay: Using the Quad Replay tool, viewers will be able to capture key moments through different angles simultaneously and enjoy a richer viewing experience.

VR Immersive Cricket Game: VR Cricket Game with real-time engine rendering. mixed reality output, broadcast-like output, and stabilised POV output to help in better analysis of the game

Hawkeye 3D cutouts: Using 3D player cut outs for analysis for a better visual experience during match analysis.