The studios this coverage takes place in are crucial to get right, often becoming both the face and hub for any given tournament. BBC Sport led on this front for the UK, stunning audiences with what visually appeared as a never-ending space, thanks to the use of pioneering XR and AR technologies. “We wanted to create something a bit different,” remarks John Murphy, design and creative director at BBC Sport, “and not just have the studio, desk and the chairs – that usual physical set design.” Overlooking the iconic Brandenburg Gate, BBC Sport’s purpose-built complex boasted two presentation areas, both of which were designed following the central theme of a football museum – inspired by Berlin’s Neues Museum. “We thought about the history behind the Brandenburg Gate and its architecture. We decided to use an LED volume in both studios to create XR – not just using it for graphics, but also to create a bigger space both left, right and in the terrace studio. “The idea was to create almost a Euros Museum, giving a nod to all the iconic Euros moments of the past. The inspiration for this came from the Neues Museum, which had similar architecture to the Brandenburg Gate. “Because we had the upstairs and downstairs, we wanted to create a link between the two. There was the studio with the museum element, which had LED XR left and right, and we had a VR extension on the side of that. That meant you could get a full 360° picture of that museum look.” BBC Sport collaborated with AE Live for the studio. In addition to the overall technical integration, implementation and operation of the real-time LED and AR set extensions, AE Live delivered presentation graphics and a match clock across 27 matches – plus graphics for multiple highlight programmes. The use of AR and LED real-time graphics technology digitally extended the sets by over 56,000 cubic feet, which ultimately ensured greater editorial flexibility and presentation spaces which wouldn’t have been possible within the confines of the physical set. “From a personal perspective,” Murphy continues, “this is the best we’ve done – from the VR modelling to the LEDs. Even just not using a green screen made it feel much more real.” The set design married the physical with the virtual, creating stunning XR and AR presentation BATTLE OF THE BROADCASTERS Despite streaming’s rise, terrestrial TV is at the forefront in big occasions, and both BBC One and ITV 1 offered UK viewers bumper four-hour coverage of the Euros final. But who did fans choose? With 30 million people expected to tune in, it was a high-stakes clash. The BBC won the ratings battle, but ITV won the quality war.
WATCH ME! BBC Sport pundits discuss England’s chances at the Euros
TO WATCH 51,000 YEARS’ WORTH OF ADS, YOU’D HAVE TO START FROM WHEN HUMANS WERE STILL IN CAVES
SETTING THE STAGE The best studios blend physical sets with virtual elements, creating a cohesive environment for viewer engagement
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