ESPN is debuting an alt-cast for the NBA Western Conference Finals dubbed “NBA Western Conference Finals: InsightCast.” The alt-cast is being put together by Beyond Sports, Vivid Arc and SMT Augmented Reality. It will start with Game 1 on Tuesday and will be exclusively aired on ESPN platforms+.
The crew for the alt-cast is ESPN play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco, and analyst Tim Legler and senior NBA writer Kirk Goldsberry. The crew will be setup in Bristol, Conn.
ESPN SVP/Sports Production Tim Corrigan said the broadcast will use an enhanced game camera that will allow SMT to take data, track it, use shot distances, track live stats, and more. “Just a much more aggressive approach to providing information on the screen during the actual live cut,” he added.
Beyond Sports’ role will be to provide virtual replay with player avatars based on the action and what the play looked like. Then Vivid Arc will provide the shot charts throughout the game.
ESPN VP/Productions Phil Orlins said he “always saw the potential of that data as something that would influence the way we cover sports in the future.”
The crew will also be able to analyze plays via Meta Quest Pro VR headset. Fans will also get the chance during the broadcast to see plays in any angle from first person to third person.
There will be a one- or two-second delay for the alt-cast in order to process the data from the ESPN or ABC coverage.
