Why Creative is the next MVP in Sports Broadcast

Design has always played a central role in engineering the relationship between a brand and its fans. Through effective design, brands can reunite fans with their favorite franchises, introduce them to an all-new way to experience live sporting events, and influence how the game is understood. With this integral and dynamic piece, how will brands leverage creative to create a winning advantage against the competition?

Digital Is Now, Whether You Like It Or Not 

As technology advances, everyone from die-hard fans to newer, younger audiences has rising expectations. More devices make it easier to stream, and the world of production has become even more digital. Duties typically managed by technology teams, such as lighting or graphics, have taken a shift since the restrictions put in place by the coronavirus. Instead of focusing on delivering a masterful in-venue experience that can be broadcast to fans, the most cutting-edge teams are concentrating most on the viewers at home. 

Sports isn’t the only sector seeing the trend towards virtual production, and this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a trend towards digital after an impactful crisis. In the United States, for example, the 9/11 attacks in 2003 resulted in the development of the Homeland Security Act. This introduced sweeping regulations that eventually resulted in increased security measures, which produced longer wait times and gave precedent for advancements in online ticketing and identification. 

With stadiums opening at varying degrees, both brands and operators are exposed to a more captive network audience to entertain and inspire. Stadium & Arena production staff are no doubt thinking about how to offset lost seating and re-engineer what were once valuable viewing areas. Fortunately, the folks at Chyron are thinking the same thing. With a powerful portfolio to fit the needs of both Sports Broadcast as well as Stadiums & Arenas, Chyron is the perfect technology partner to put the most powerful tools for the job in the hands of your team experts.  

As technology advances, operators can stay up-to-date on the latest tips & tricks using free resources such as Chyron Academy, or simply exploring Chyron’s suite of products. With our free licensing and certification, you can improve your competency of Chyron products from a remote workspace- even the comfort of your home. Alternatively, Chyron’s Creative and Remote Production Services take the stress out of not having readily available talent resources of your own. Simply describe your project, and our team of experts will provide you with the best products, creative assets, and playouts for your situation. 

[READ: Flexible Deployment Models Drive Virtual Placement Adoption]

Choosing the right technology for your project isn’t always easy. With a wrong choice literally making or breaking your broadcast, what system you use, and who’s using it, matter more than ever. 

As broadcasters and producers shift production responsibilities, the popularity of live streaming and at-home studios continues to rise. Normalizing the practice for both practitioners and viewers, content makers continue to build their competency with the technology that brings their stories to life for their viewers. This trend isn’t lost on sports broadcasts. 

With products such as PAINT, Chyron’s powerful sports illustrated analysis and sports replay solution, or PRIME, our software-based live content production system, sports broadcasters can provide quality commentary with high visualized, data-driven 3D graphics and immersive game highlights from the comfort and safety of their home. Plus, with Chyron Academy, it’s easier than ever to give it a try for yourself. Just visit our registration page to get started with your free trial. As either an operator or decision-maker, you can increase your value to your production team.

Cutthroat Creative When it Comes to Cutting Edge

Nowadays, keeping your fans informed is the same as keeping your fans engaged. From life-long fans to eager newcomers, visualizations help disseminate thousands of metrics in ways that help fans understand the complexities of the game. Additionally, anyone who’s entered a fantasy league, or stumbled across the now-famous retelling of the Oakland Athletic’s story through Moneyball, also understands how teams can use this knowledge to benefit their players as well. 

When you start to crunch the numbers, you may discover there are plenty of ways to inform, instruct, and entertain viewers through the use of graphics and design in sports broadcast, production, and even coaching analysis. It’s not solely the quality of the graphics, but the creative way in which they are utilized that gives each production the competitive edge. 

Taking this new definition of ‘creative,’ broadcasters can effectively control their brand with the efficiency and ease that can put their franchise at a major advantage. Additionally, the lost, cut, and/or limited budgets in the aftermath of COVID have forced many smaller broadcasters to implement creative methods that can meet their standard without breaking the bank. Simultaneously, the level of competition broadcasters face has only increased with the market making the migration to digital in what can be described as an ‘arms race’ for the most optimal experience that rights holders, broadcasters, and sponsors can use to optimize positioning and spend. 

Now, there are even more opportunities to take advantage of some of the most advanced graphics systems in the world- even for free. Broadcast creatives currently enrolled in academia are introduced to the latest industry standards, and Chyron maintains its status as a staple in the sector. Providing an array of broadcast-grade, end-to-end live production tools to educate the next generation of experts for on-air or online live broadcast production, Chyron has plenty of products, services, and offerings for creatives to get hands-on experience, and even become officially certified. 

Services such as Chyron Academy can help our partners in sports broadcast consider how to expand their digital footprint to meet fans where they are. The use of digital devices continues to grow, and ways to stream content are expanding too. It’s not just for broadcast. As stadiums welcome fans back to the stands, they are considering how to make the in-person experience just as unforgettable as what the fans are experiencing at home (and they’ve had LOTS of time at home). For rights holders to create the ultimate digital experience, they need to have the perfect tools to do the job well, with partners who can utilize the tools they need for both short and long-term applications. 

As the transition to digital continues to rise, creatives get an exciting opportunity to be a part of the sports world- working with some of the biggest brands on the globe. With new jobs opening up, producers are going to be looking for talent that can get up and running in no time. Complementing your portfolio with a Chyron Academy certification is Chyron’s way of supporting the creative community as we go through this transitory time. Between PRIME, PAINT, and CE PRIME (and the related content), we’ve provided the tools for Sports Broadcasters, In-Venue producers, and their respective freelancers to succeed in a world still in flux. 

Ultimately, if Creative is the weapon helping producers win the arms race, Freelancers are your central arsenal. With varying levels of expertise, having both a depth and breadth of skills make freelancers all the more valuable. It also gives them a faster path to success. Across industry, sport, and region, the ability to tell stories visually is a skill that is only growing in commercial market value. 

A True Team Player Since Day One

It’s no secret that creative agencies benefit from being able to apply additional resources, manpower, and expertise that freelancers may not be able to provide. This is not only in the area of graphics creation and playout, but integration and support. This is where Chyron’s Creative Services can really shine as a benefit to broadcasters, sports broadcasters specifically, and creatives looking for a new opportunity. 

“Chyron is a partner in helping clients maximize their return on investment from graphics production to securing premier sponsorships. With a great deal of experience working with broadcasters around the world- across all types of sports- we are just as adept in building what you want with your pieces or advising you along the way with the best practices we’ve adopted,” says Chyron’s Global Director of Creative Services, Mark Friedman. 

Supplying a suite of powerful graphics technology, highly adaptable workflows, and custom solutions to fit the specific needs of your project, Chyron can support you as you keep your audiences engaged wherever they are. Our Creative Services team can help you develop anything from sponsor packages to custom GUI for your favorite Chyron products- allowing your team to operate even more efficiently. Want to learn even more about our Creative Services team? Check out one of our latest blog posts to learn some other ways creative can make you money.

The world is still in the midst of rapid change that has been enhanced by COVID-19. Businesses of all sizes have no choice to remain agile and resilient. It is our goal to be a trusted technology partner in the world of sports production and broadcast, and we work tirelessly to fulfill this. As both a creative resource and conduit, we hope that you have the opportunity to work with us in either capacity.