Tennis fans watching the Australian Open on YouTube ended up getting an unexpected surprise, which left some with questions and many impressed. In several matches in the tournament, animated avatars were used instead of the actual players while they were shown on the social media platform.
Why is everything animated?
According to the Guardian, the players, ball and court got a computer-generated treatment on YouTube in this year's tournament to avoid broadcast licensing conflicts. This loophole allowed the Australian Open to show a version of live events despite having sold the exclusive broadcast rights to partners.
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How does it work?
As per the outlet, the project AO Animated uses real-world data to create an animated version that looks like the world of video games. Data from sensors on the court is fed into a system, which then creates a graphic reproduction—but with a two-minute delay.
Though the technology made its debut at the grand slam last year, it has gained popularity among fans this year. Highlighting this interesting innovation, an X user wrote, “The Australian Open don’t own all of their broadcasting rights (fairly common), so they’re live-streaming a Wii Tennis-like version of the matches on YouTube—love this.” A video posted along with the share shows the players' movements in the animated world, mirroring the movements of the real players.
{{/usCountry}}Though the technology made its debut at the grand slam last year, it has gained popularity among fans this year. Highlighting this interesting innovation, an X user wrote, “The Australian Open don’t own all of their broadcasting rights (fairly common), so they’re live-streaming a Wii Tennis-like version of the matches on YouTube—love this.” A video posted along with the share shows the players' movements in the animated world, mirroring the movements of the real players.
{{/usCountry}}What did Social media say?
People had a lot to post about this innovation. An individual wrote, “Wow! I had no idea! They can get away with this??” Another added, “I’m really impressed with how well it recreates the exact technique and motion of the player's strokes, not just some generic swing for all of them when they hit. I love it.”
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A third commented, “LMAO, it makes it 100 times funnier.” A fourth commented, “I’m sorry, what? Is this real?”
“It’s that community that engages with animated or virtual or gaming products, that’s our intuition, right?” Machar Reid, the director of innovation at Tennis Australia, told the Guardian. “We always try and innovate the fan experience, be that on site or at home,” Reid said.
“Here’s a way through the world of broadcast that we can try and personalise the content in different ways, and present a different offering that ultimately we’d love to see the broadcasters pick up in time,” he added.
Are you watching the Australian Open on YouTube? What are your thoughts on these animated avatars?