The Broadcast Sport Podcast

The future for sports in the metaverse - insight from BT Sport’s Matt Stagg

Matt Stagg, director of mobile strategy at BT Sport talks to Broadcast Sport editor Jake Bickerton about sports in the metaverse. Stagg explains what the metaverse is and what it can offer sports fans, through innovative use of VR, AR and XR. BT Sport is currently undergoing R&D projects to see what could be possible utilising cloud computing and 5G, to stream immersive ‘metaverse’ experiences live and with ultra low latency to fans. These include enabling MotoGP fans to build a room of virtual screens around them to show the broadcast feed supplemented by an interactive, holographic track showing where each of the drivers is currently located. Stagg also talks about how the metaverse will be able to bring fans at home into the stadium, in enjoy live matches with their friends from the best virtual corporate box in the stadium. Boxing fans will also be able to immerse themselves in fights, watching volumetric versions of the boxers they are able to view from any angle. Stagg reveals what he believes to be realistic timetables for these concepts to potentially come to market, and what the future of sports broadcasts might looks like in the world of the metaverse.

ROONEY director Matt Smith on telling Wayne and Colleen’s inside story

BAFTA-winning film-maker Matt Smith talks to Broadcast Sport reporter Max Miller about his Prime Video documentary ROONEY.
Smith directed the film after gaining the trust of Wayne and Colleen Rooney to tell the inside story of the Rooney’s rise to fame at a young age, and how they handled the intense media interest in themselves and their relationship.
In the podcast, Smith explains how he managed to get Wayne and Colleen to open up so candidly about their lives and careers and what it takes to create a compelling sports documentary. As he explains in the podcast, the last thing he wanted to make was a ‘puff piece’.
The documentary features candid testimonials from both Wayne and Colleen as well as Rooney's father and close family members. ROONEY also includes contributions from David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville, Thierry Henry, and Rooney's former managers David Moyes and Sven Goran Eriksson.
The film provides unprecedented access to Rooney as he recounts the most important moments in his life and career.

The making of the BBC’s ’ski lodge’ Winter Olympics virtual studio

The BBC’s lead director for the Winter Olympics, Sally Richardson, talks to Broadcast Sport editor Jake Bickerton about how and why the broadcaster created its eye-catching Winter Olympics virtual studio, turning a small green screen space in Salford into a vast ski lodge with seven presenting positions. The BBC handled the design and creation of the studio in-house and is using the space to host around 300 hours of Winter Olympics coverage over the course of the games. Richardson also talks about the remote production of the Games and the non-live content the BBC is creating around the Winter Olympics.

Sports Content: What fans are willing to pay for

Some great insight into sports fans' willingness (or otherwise) to pay for sport content, from Jack Genovese, senior analyst at Ampere, recorded at the Broadcast Sport Content Summit at Dock10 Studios in September. The podcast also features Steve Boulton, CEO, Golden Egg Innovation, talking about televising the Gran Turismo esports tournament from an innovative virtual studio environment. The session was chaired by Sadie Groom, MD, Bubble Agency.

Sky Sports and Shoot The Company on using sports media for cultural change

The third speaker session at the Broadcast Sport Content Summit, held at Dock10 Studios, MediaCityUK. Sara Butler at Shoot the Company and Steve Smith at Sky Sports talk about what broadcasters, production companies and sports organisations are doing to help facilitate cultural change and raise awareness of key issues such as gender and racial inequality and social media bullying.

Wimbledon and City Football Group on creating content to engage directly with fans

Alexandra Willis, communications and marketing director at AELTC and Gavin Johnson, group media director at City Football Group join Broadcast Sport editor Jake Bickerton on stage at the Broadcast Sport Content Summit, held at Dock10 Studios on 30 September 2021, to talk about fan engagement for rights holders.
They discuss Wimbledon’s Wimbledon Channel and Manchester City's self-made documentary, Together.
The podcast was recorded live at the Broadcast Sport Content Summit.

BBC Sport director Barbara Slater talks to BBC Sport presenter Gavin Ramjaun

BBC director of sport Barbara Slater talks to BBC sports presenter Gavin Ramjaun about the sports that work well on the BBC; why free-to-air is important for key sports and 'crown jewel' sporting events; and how free-to-air services partner with pay-TV and D2C platforms to maximise the reach and profile of different sporting events. Recorded at the Broadcast Sport Content Summit at Dock10 on 30 September 2021.