Click here to obtain the online quotation request form.
2024The European Athletics Championships will be held from June 7 to 12 in Rome, Italy. Actua Sport has been commissioned by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to serve as the host broadcaster, responsible for the overall live coverage of the event, producing live reports, interviews, and behind-the-scenes features for 35 European broadcasters. During this championship, Actua Sport will provide up to 200 hours of live coverage for television and streaming platforms.
To meet the fast-paced production demands, budget constraints, and the increasingly important sustainability requirements, Actua Sport needed to choose the highest quality solutions. LiveU's efficient remote and on-site hybrid lightweight production solutions emerged as the perfect fit. LiveU assisted Actua Sport by innovatively connecting live cameras to an electric unicycle, providing a fresh shooting angle while bringing fans closer to the competition. This marked the first time a unicycle camera was used at a major athletics event, and the results proved it to be a viable and successful solution.
In addition, Actua Sport has deployed LiveU's on-site equipment, including multiple LU800 encoders: a single wheel stand and handheld gimbal are positioned at the start, finish, and other locations along the course of the external competitions (race walking and half marathon), with the captured video being transmitted in real-time to three nearby broadcast trucks. Another pair of LU800 encoders is used to capture behind-the-scenes footage around the stadium.
In terms of distribution, Actua Sport has adopted LiveU Matrix technology to perform cloud IP distribution to 35 cameras receiving signals, complementing traditional satellite/fiber connection solutions. LiveU Matrix utilizes LRT.™/SRTA total of 12 channels have been distributed to the filming team and the cloud platform. The filming team can access these channels at any time to record independent programs, or for post-production, live broadcasts, or to send back to other platforms. Some recording teams are using these returned videos to recreate their own main videos.
Actua SportCompany Director Franck Choquard reflected, “We have been using LiveU products for several years and are aware of the high reliability and stability of this solution. Compared to traditional RF production workflows, the LiveU solution offers better cost-effectiveness and flexibility, especially for dynamic events like athletics. As an example of seamless integration, we utilized LiveU's IP Pipe tool along with our color matching unit technology to match the cameras, ensuring accurate color grading and transmitting frame sync signals to the broadcast truck.”
LiveU StudioLiveU's cloud-native video production solution enables end-to-end cloud workflows. By leveraging the flexibility and agility of Studio, independent video feeds can be connected to remote production centers within Matrix, integrating them into live productions. In July, during the European Under-18 Athletics Championships held in Slovakia, Actua Sport once again utilized this workflow to successfully broadcast the entire event live.
Regarding the sustainability aspect of the solution, Franck Choquard stated, "If we use the same RF setup for two external events, we would have to add aerial solutions like helicopters or planes. In contrast, the LiveU team consistently brings innovative production methods into our operations with an open and flexible mindset, which has allowed us to reduce the number of personnel on-site and production costs. This helps us integrate the concept of sustainability into every aspect of production, contributing modestly to the sustainable development of the broadcasting industry. Additionally, LiveU's technical support is unparalleled, which is a significant advantage for us."
LiveURoy Hasson, Vice President of Global SaaS and Solutions Sales, said, "LiveU has established a strong partnership with Actua Sport. I am pleased to highlight the success of this project: it has broken records both on and off the track, demonstrating that LiveU seamlessly integrates cloud-based workflows with hardware encoders, emerging as a leader in sustainable live production. LiveU's ecosystem is at the heart of many major sporting events, and we look forward to collaborating with our partner companies to bring immersive new experiences to even more audiences!"