The International Cricket Council has released details of the technological initiatives planned for its upcoming Champions Trophy, which has been dubbed the sport’s first ‘smart’ tournament.
The one-day international tournament runs from June 1-18 in England and Wales, with The Oval, Edgbaston and Cardiff Wales Stadium to serve as host venues.
Each venue will be fitted with player-tracking cameras, as well as Hawk-Eye technology, front and reverse view stump cameras and a so-called ‘spider cam’.
Fans will also benefit from a high-density Wi-Fi network that has been installed at the three grounds to reduce the need to rely on 3G and 4G connections.
“At the other side of the boundary rope, it’s about how we engage with fans, how we improve their experience, and then everybody who is outside of that,” tournament director Steve Elworthy said.
“It’s going to be a ‘smart’ tournament, and we’ve looked at how technology can improve the customer experience, whoever that customer is. It’s become expected, I think, for fans to come to a venue and expect Wi-Fi. It has been a huge investment from the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) and the ICC to deliver high-density Wi-Fi at all Champions Trophy grounds.
“We’re also going to have player tracking, using specific cameras around the grounds, following the players’ movements, which will offer incredible insight and deep data to see how far they move, or how far they don’t.”
Almost 90 per cent of tickets have been sold for the tournament, with eight of the 15 matches having already sold out.
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