German footballers commentate live from their sofas abroad using 5G

5G has opened up a world of possibilities when it comes to how we view live entertainment and sporting events.

Thanks to its superfast speeds and high capacity, broadcasters can send high quality footage in real-time, opening up more coverage opportunities and allowing direct to consumer content at the touch of a button.

Content from the couch

As the 2023 Bundesliga kicked-off, we teamed up with German footballers, Robin Gosens and Melanie Leupolz, to test a new 5G use case, from which millions of football fans benefitted on their home screens.

The two professionals commented on the opening game live from their apartments in Bergamo, Italy and Chelsea, London, appearing as a tile on the screen alongside presenter Lukas Schönmüller, field reporter Ann-Sophie Kimmel and DAZN data expert Freddy Tappe.

Living and working abroad, Robin and Melanie would not usually have been able to join the German match as experts, but 5G made it possible.

As 5G transmitted the content in real-time to the broadcasting centre and into the DAZN app, their reactions and comments could be viewed as part of the live TV broadcast.

New perspectives for viewers

Traditionally, live broadcasting requires a team of professionals such as a camera crew and production staff to all be on-site. Besides the wiring and staff logistics, a broadcast van and satellite connection are also required.

With 5G, you can bypass the van and satellite, sending images directly to a virtual transmission hub and, because cameras are no longer connected by numerous cables, cameramen have more flexibility in what they’re able to shoot, reaching new places that were previously difficult to cover.

For DAZN field reporter Ann-Sophie Kimmel, the flexibility 5G gives means that her cameraman can accompany her and her smartphone throughout the stadium. In this way, she will be able to capture the mood and atmosphere of the stadium and even conduct interviews in the stands.

As a result, viewers can get even closer to the action and have more exposure to what goes on behind-the-scenes.

A connected future

As we begin to really harness the power of 5G, and it becomes more readily available, we could see stadiums with connected seats that allow fans to order refreshments or stay warm during the match.

Already we’re seeing how it is enabling fans to receive additional information about players directly to their smartphones as the magic happens.

During the Supercup, spectators were able to see statistics such as how fast the players were running and how far they’ve run, – something you would usually only be able to find out after the match.

Looking beyond sport, this technology could deliver more immersive experiences in any live setting. For example, at a music concert or theatre performance, the audience could receive additional information about the cast or performer and get backstage footage from before and after the show.

The possibilities are endless, and this is only the beginning.