Visual treat with new technology
TABLE tennis fans were in for a visual treat literally during the World Tour Grand Finals at the Ali bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena in Doha after a new broadcasting technology was introduced.
The tournament was used as a test event for the virtual reality broadcasting which allowed fans to watch the action from any position. A fan could watch the match from the umpires or coaches’ perspective, or occupy the VIP seats to get a prime view.
“The virtual reality will be a big hit among the fans and will improve the sport’s broadcast significantly. Table tennis was the first sport on which a video game was based, when Pong was released in 1977. So we’re excited to be a leader in digital innovation,” said International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) President Thomas Weikert.
The ITTF, which plans to roll out virtual reality broadcasts at key events in 2017, has partnered Chinese firm SECA to make the move into virtual reality and become a world leader in new-age broadcasting.
“SECA is delighted to bolster our partnership with ITTF. As China’s leading sports marketing company, SECA is always looking to serve sports fans through the newest technologies. We believe virtual reality is the technology of the future and table tennis is the perfect sport to start this revolution,” said SECA CEO LI Sheng. DSP