As the 2024 UEFA Euros captivated soccer fans across the globe, BBC Sport broke new ground with an innovative remote production strategy, bringing the excitement of Germany’s stadiums to UK screens from dock10’s facility in Salford.
The BBC provided comprehensive coverage of the Euros, airing 27 matches using a multiplatform approach to ensure that football fans throughout the UK enjoyed the tournament action from Germany via television, streaming, radio and online.
Television broadcasts delivered high-definition live coverage, bringing the stadium atmosphere into viewers’ homes. For streaming, BBC iPlayer offered live viewing and catch-up options, ensuring fans don’t miss any matches. Radio coverage included live commentary and analysis, keeping listeners updated on the go. Online, the BBC provided live streams, highlights and interactive content on its website.
The BBC’s Euro 2024 coverage leveraged cutting-edge technology to enhance the viewing experience. In its Berlin studios, extended reality (XR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies created immersive visual environments. These innovations, inspired by Berlin’s Neues Museum, blended historical aesthetics with modern sports broadcasting, offering viewers a unique and engaging experience.
The technical setup included advanced AR graphics that overlaid real-time data and statistics onto the broadcast, making the matches more interactive for viewers. XR extends the physical dimensions of the studio, creating the illusion of a larger space and bringing the vibrant energy of the tournament directly to the audience.
Led by presenters Gary Lineker and Gabby Logan from two presentation areas in Berlin overlooking the iconic Brandenburg Gate, live remote production for the BBC’s Euro 2024 coverage employed Timeline Television for high-quality live feeds, BT for connectivity, and AE Live for enhanced visuals, including virtual studio designs using XR and AR technologies.
dock10 served as the remote production base, working behind the scenes to bring together all the various elements. Overseeing the operation at dock10 was studio manager Adam Broadhurst, who coordinated the complex logistics and technical requirements.
dock10 transformed raw feeds from Germany into polished broadcasts for UK audiences, Broadhurst says.
“BBC Sport will always look to push forward technical boundaries for each tournament it covers to ensure its presentation remains best-in-class — and that is certainly the case for Euro 2024.”
dock10’s facility in Salford was where all the content from Germany was processed and prepared for broadcast. The dedicated operations are equipped to handle the vast amount of data and live feeds coming from the tournament.
The technical team at dock10 managed various aspects of the production, including vision mixing, graphics, sound and editing. With around 100 professionals focused on the Euro 2024 coverage, the facility operated as an extension of the on-site production efforts in Germany. The integration of these technical elements ensured that the final broadcast was smooth and high quality.
“The Euro 2024 coverage built on dock10’s experience of serving as a remote production base for major events such as the FIFA World Cup 2022, the Tokyo Summer Olympics and Euro 2020. Each year, the benefits of remote producing are becoming more apparent,” Broadhurst says.
“Major events such as Euro 2024 can be produced in a more environmentally sustainable and cost-efficient manner, reducing the amount of equipment and staff required on-location.”
The use of remote production not only streamlined the process but also brought environmental and cost-efficiency benefits, allowing the BBC to deliver top-tier coverage while reducing the logistical footprint.
The BBC’s remote production strategy for Euro 2024 offered significant benefits. Environmentally, it reduced the carbon footprint by minimizing travel and on-site equipment. Cost efficiency was another advantage, cutting down expenses related to logistics and staffing on location.
“Not so long ago, remote production was seen as a brave new frontier for broadcasting,” Broadhurst admits. “This methodology is now standard across major events.”
READ MORE: dock10 studio manager Adam Broadhurst explains how BBC coverage of the Euro 2024 tournament is being delivered to UK viewers from Germany via the Salford facility (dock10)
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