In a world-first for golf, Spidercam technology will bring millions of TV viewers closer to the world’s best golfers than ever before during The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush.
The four-point wire-cam system will provide immersive experiences of play unlike any seen before in a live TV production for golf. Suspended above the 18th green, spectacular aerial views and unique angles will bring to life the natural undulations of the hole and short shots around the green before the greatest walk in golf is captured as the Champion Golfer of the Year is crowned on Sunday 20 July. During approach shots it will be in a resting position behind the 18th green.
It has been used widely in TV coverage of other major sports, including football, rugby and cricket in the UK and will complement existing technology, including a plane camera, aerial drones, bunker-cameras and Toptracer, which has been introduced in recent years by The R&A and European Tour Productions to enhance live coverage of The Open for fans.
Neil Armit, Chief Commercial Officer at The R&A, said, “The Open stands among the world’s greatest sporting occasions, an event that calls for the highest standards in live television production to ensure that millions of viewers worldwide can witness every moment, every detail of play and every chapter in the unfolding story of this historic Championship.
“We have worked closely with European Tour Productions and their production partners IMG to invest in cutting-edge broadcast technology and believe that Spidercam will bring millions of fans a new perspective of the action from Royal Portrush with incredible detail and accessibility wherever they are in the world.”
Richard Bunn, Chief Content and Revenue Officer at the European Tour Group, added, “European Tour Productions has a long track record of producing coverage for many of golf’s biggest tournaments. Alongside our production partners IMG, we have a shared vision with The R&A to use the latest technologies to create a truly immersive experience for the millions of fans watching the global broadcast. With new innovations such as Spidercam being rolled out this year, The 153rd Open will get fans closer to the action than ever before.”
The Open offers 48 hours of main coverage over the four rounds of the Championship making it the longest single feed in golf, providing world-class action via broadcast partners worldwide, including Sky Sports in the UK and NBC in the USA.
Beyond the main broadcast, The R&A and European Tour Productions have collaborated with IMG to expand the digital footprint of The Open to deliver more ways than ever for fans to follow and engage with the Championship via TheOpen.com, R&A TV and official mobile app.
Supplementary live content includes four dedicated Featured Groups per day, a unique Par 3 channel capturing the breathtaking 16th hole, ‘Calamity Corner’, as well as the behind-the-scenes show, ‘Live at the Range, in partnership with HSBC’, which airs during practice days and the first two rounds of the Championship.
R&A TV will also allow viewers to watch multiple streams simultaneously, including the Featured Groups and Par 3 channel, while The Open Radio also offers more than 50 hours of live audio coverage to fans worldwide.
A new website homepage for TheOpen.com will provide quicker and easier access to real-time updates throughout the Championship, as well as a new weather integration offering the latest forecasts directly from Portrush.
Fans can stay on top of the leaderboards via their smartphone with a Lock Screen Leaderboard preview and vote for their Golfer of the Day. The personalised experience continues with customised video and news feeds for each player profile.