A day at the virtual home of DAZN MotoGP

Friday of a Motorcycle Grand Prix against the Spanish period in the study of DAZN MotoGP located at the headquarters of Dorna in Sant Just Desvern. The MotoGP broadcast operation is underway. Carles Pérez and Ricard Jové, those responsible for the morning storytelling at this Grand Prix, are in their booths. Ernest Riveras and Dani Pedrosa, making his debut as a commentator, will take over the ‘big’ booth. Four years in the making of the digital sports platform DAZN and the first season where the locution is done from ‘home’. Only reporters Izaskun Ruiz and Natasha Algafeme travel, with the support of Borja González, and three cameras. In return, it is necessary to innovate in virtual reality and that is where we come in, at the very end DAZN virtual kitchen.

What does not change is the big position at the start of the program, the broadcast sound technicians, the reception of Dorna signals and the control of the international signal with the ENG cameras and the ‘beauty shots’ of DAZN From there they went to the fourth floor where the editing booths were. The digital set is the main innovation for 2023 and although it looks huge on the screen, it measures 5.5×3 meters of chroma in a sensorized studio that allows endless possibilities for digital creation. In that small range of only 16.5 m2 up to three people can be found and thanks to virtual reality it seems that occupies a set ten times larger with its motorcycles, tires and all kinds of details, an immersive experience for the viewer.

This commitment to virtual reality This is done using the Unreal Engine 5 development program, the most advanced technology that exists in this type of software, with endless possibilities for creating digital content for that virtual set. The DAZN Platform is a pioneer in the integration of this technology and they assure us during the visit that “there are still endless possibilities to continue to develop over time. This will allow you to create experiences on visual elements and achieve a wrapped and realistic effect that no other program can create in the same way”, they highlight.

In addition, the physical cameras on the set, along with the software, allow you to create new cameras and virtual zooms, further expanding the perspective and distance within the set. There are three cameras, two robotic and one mounted on a crane. It has one of the most advanced tracking systems and allows the synchronization of any movement of the physical camera in the Virtual world and the ‘Unreal’ environment.

Quim Domènech, Senior Vice President of Content at DAZN since last October and, who since landing in 2019 is the head of programming of DAZN, explains about this virtual world that supports sports broadcasts that “this is not the future of broadcasts, it is the present. but I’m very excited, not only for what you’ve seen but for the benefits that we have in this studio for the future and for everything that we can do. Not only do you see, but we’re already thinking about what that could lead to in all of this, it’s about all the new tools you have to put together new content, new scenarios, to change sets, to make the experience more immersive. . We just renewed Dorna, with five years more advanced the challenge to continue”.

DAZN’s microphone will continue in the circuits

The fact that the ‘in situ’ operation is reduced due to cost which it assumes does not mean that “the connection to the circuit will be lost, DAZN’s microphone is always where the opponent is and the cameras are where the action is. As we have done in the League, in F1 and in other disciplines, do not want we also lose being there”.

For this year they agreed with Dorna and RTVE to share the three GGPP, Mugello, Catalunya and Valencia. “This is a great opportunity to offer this visibility in the open mind of the fans and increase the competition. ‘Free to air’ has an effect on a potential audience that can be hooked, as happens with the ‘Sprint’ format, people are hooked on them, and on the previous day’s broadcasts”. And Domènech did not exclude that in the future “we will see them tomorrow, so far no decision has been made.”

Regarding the MotoGP hearings in 2023, he admitted that he was surprised by the data. “The start is better than last year. I was also surprised by the data because the factor Marc Márquez It influences, I won’t deny, it has an effect and it lasts over time, but it’s also for you. When Marc competes there is more interest and more questions, look for more news. We were idols and Marc was, but so was he Pedro Acosta and we notice a wild growth of interest in Alex Marquezthis too Aleix Espargaro that by the time he starts winning there’s a potential base.”