NFL American football franchise the Baltimore Ravens has become the first team in the league to install a SkyCam system at its home stadium, as part of a move to deliver an enriched experience to fans.
The SkyCam system will operate during all Ravens home games at the M&T Bank Stadium, and has already been put to use during the team’s recent pre-season match against the Washington Redskins.
The Ravens said that the cable suspended camera system forms part of a five-year partnership with SkyCam and will deliver both live-action coverage and replay footage for the benefit of fans inside the stadium.
Jay O’Brien, vice-president of broadcasting and gameday productions at the Ravens, said: “SkyCam is the closest thing to being on the field. Most camera angles only tell part of the story. This really gives you a look at the chess match.”
The Ravens will have full control over the camera system, which will enable the franchise to deliver the coverage it wants to its fans, rather than entrusting this role to a television network.
Here’s some footage of a preseason game against the Washington Redskins:
Such is the flexibility of the SkyCam system that the camera can be lowered behind the quarterback to allow fans to get a closer view of key moves, and can also be manoeuvred into place in other key locations across the field of play.
O’Brien added: “It’s such a cool camera because it’s unobtrusive but it can go anywhere.”
Stephen Wharton, chief technical officer at SkyCam, also spoke positively about the new system and praised the Ravens for becoming the first NFL franchise to branch out into this sort of in-stadium coverage.
Wharton said: “This is a great addition to M&T Bank Stadium and the Ravens organisation. Being the first in anything is a bold move, and we applaud the Ravens for their technological, trailblazing spirit.”
Image: Jrienstra/Ravens
