With the constant bombardment of information experienced by people every day, it's easy to feel like a victim in a war of attrition in which media outlets attempt to wear down the masses until their message is heard. Sports seem to be one earnest source that really attempts to improve the overall experience with new media.
While watching the Sunday football games I saw an ad for NFL.com. It attempted to distinguish the website's fantasy features from those of other websites by showing that instead of tracking players' performances with dots and charts, users can watch highlights of their players. The idea behind this, and the overall theme of the commercial, is that seeing the action gives life and an entirely new dimension to something that was once just words on a screen.
During the Sunday night broadcast of the Colts/Giants game, the announcers for NBC made references to a new feature on their website that allows viewers to watch along with games online and customize their experience. This new feature, called Sunday Night Football Extra, has a heads-up display in the video box that allows for different camera angles and custom replays. It claims to stream in HD quality and also features a picture-in-picture display.
I thought this was a pretty novel idea in that it blurs the line between television and online interactivity. Instead of just saving new media features for users when they go online after the game, it utilizes these features as a compliment to their regular television broadcast.
I agree the NFl has really become the industry leader with incorporating video/technology to improve their product. No longer can you only hope to read a recap or see a lone highlight on Sportscenter. Video highlights and audio analysis can now be easily found for every game and are made available at a 'breaking-news like' pace. Video also personalizes the news for the audience, so fans can watch the highlights that they want to see. NBC has especially done that with their Sunday Night Football product, as you mentioned. One of the news features of Sunday Night Football Extra allows for fans to follow a personalized camera that follows only certain star-players on every play.
ReplyDeleteSports coverage has some of the best potential for new media and both the sports industry and media have been working together to provide the best products for their fans.