More ref cams could be coming to FOX Sports broadcasts after officials wore GoPro cameras on their hats at select college football games last year including the Big Ten championship football game.
GoPro worked with FOX Sports and Big Ten officials to design the referee-worn hat that provided POV perspective from the field that was cut to during the live broadcast and used for social media.
“Where we left off at the Big Ten championship game with the ref cam is something that we’d like to continue,” Michael Davies, FOX Sports Senior Vice President, Field & Technical Operations, told the SVG Podcast last month. “The technology surrounding wearable cameras at the professional broadcast level has really turned up and offered us a fair amount of insight.
“And also, this is where we collaborate with our 21st Century Fox friends overseas where we can see what FOX Australia is doing with their rugby ref cam or what Star India is doing with cricket, and I think that worn cameras are going to be a big thing for us in the future. We’ve got a lot of very interested, lean-forward partners that are looking to help us with that.”
Bringing you ON THE FIELD for the #B1GFCG from the innovative @GoPro Ref Hat!
STREAM LIVE: https://t.co/gW3NgzsPj1 https://t.co/lg0nZmFRMy
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) December 4, 2016
SCOOP AND SCORE! Watch @BadgerFootball‘s touchdown from the @GoPro Ref Hat! #B1GFCG https://t.co/beg4ADz63U
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) December 4, 2016
We’ve got a game. Watch the @PennStateFball touchdown unfold & the players celebrate on the @GoPro Ref Hat. #B1GFCG https://t.co/FVznjLe8H7
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) December 4, 2016
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FOX LAB is FOX Sports’ initiative for testing and implementing production technology and exploring partnerships, and it could look to do more after the Big Ten championship game produced a broadcast “game-changer” for fans.
FOX Sports Australia tested the ref cam in rugby in 2013 and has partnered with Telstra to adapt the Globecam, a small, lightweight camera that became the FOX Sports ref cam for that sport.