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FOOTBALL

CAPABILITIES

CHANGING THE GAME

SMT serves the sports industry with innovative, award-winning technology for events, broadcasts and livestreams with a focus on real-time data collection, integration and visualization. With more than three decades of developing best-in-class solutions, SMT is an unsurpassed leader in sports technology.

37

YEARS

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60

SPORTS

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70

PATENTS

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20K

ANNUAL EVENTS

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220

CLIENTS

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36

EMMY AWARDS

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CULTURE OF

INNOVATION

THE OASIS PLATFORM

NOW AND IN THE FUTURE

SMT’s 37 years of experience touching every aspect of the live sports industry has led SMT to create a powerful organizing philosophy called OASIS and a powerful data management system called the OASIS Platform (Organization of Asynchronous Sports Information Subsystems). ​

OASIS as an organizing philosophy views the data landscape of a sports league in three (3) layers: ​​

Level 0     All subsystems that create data or video

Level 1     The central hub that absorbs, collates, synchronizes, organizes, expands, and distributes

                  all Level 1 data via push and query APIs

Level 2     All subsystems that consume, present, or use the data

OASIS’ organizing philosophy defines a simple, intuitive, approach to a sports league’s data governance and data management but requires a highly disciplined, central authority to maintain the proper separation of the layers and to maintain functional independence between layers for a sports league to gain the full benefits of the OASIS organizing philosophy.

OASIS is agnostic as to whether there are multiple individual vendors supplying the various subsystems at Level 0 or Level 2 or whether there is just one vendor supplying all subsystems at Level 0 or all subsystems at Level 2.  The OASIS organizing philosophy ensures all subsystem suppliers maintain functional independence, communicate clearly to others and receive the full benefit of their participation. ​

As a product, the OASIS Platform is a highly integrated, multi-venue, time-synchronized, multilevel, data/video management system that SMT architected, designed and created to provide professional sports leagues with a centrally controlled and league-controlled platform to organize, maintain, administer, and manage all phases of the league’s data creation, data distribution, data visualization, and data monetization.

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LEVEL 0

FOOTBALL PRODUCTS

PLAYER AND

BALL TRACKING

From NASCAR to the NFL, SMT’s tracking technologies help tell stories through data visualizations via the four key forms of sports tracking technology (optical, GPS, infrared (IR), and ultra-wideband (UWB)/RFID).

Optical: SMT assists Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball and the PGA Tour with our optical tracking technology. We use computer vision to track baseballs and golf balls to within a pixel or better accuracy. SMT has tracked over 10 million pitches in baseball as well as all of the approach shots for every PGA Tour event. For NFL broadcasts, SMT’s CameraTracker provides an optical data tracking system on an aerial broadcast camera to insert live 3D virtual graphics onto the playing field.

 

GPS: SMT captures a plethora of GPS-generated information for motorsports, including telemetry data (speed, throttle, brakes, gears, and RPM), positioning data and camera data. The data is used to create a real-time digital record of the race that is dispersed to various systems that feed on-air graphics. 

 

Infrared: SMT’s Puck and Player Tracking technology for the NHL is based on infrared technology. We place sensors in the back collar of the player uniforms as well as sensors inside the puck to track accurately within an inch.

 

UWB/RFID: The Professional Fighters League uses our Ultra-Wide Band/RFID technology to help determine punch speeds of their fighters which is then visualized throughout the fight as graphical insertions to help augment the broadcaster's storytelling efforts.

HALO 

 

HALO (Hybrid Approach for Locating Objects) is SMT’s robust real-time object tracking technology that combines multiple tracking inputs in order to precisely derive an object’s location. Input from a physical tag-based (RF and/or IR) tracking system is combined with input from an optical-based tracking system in order to derive the best object location at every moment. Furthermore, orientation and/or limb-tracking systems are also integrated (when available) in order to paint a complete picture of the object’s location, movement and behavior in real time.

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LEVEL 2

FOOTBALL PRODUCTS

VAR

VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE

SMT-VAR is a configurable video replay system, built specifically to meet FIFA’s foundational requirements of video latency, quality and synchronicity. SMT-VAR allows referees and operators to quickly, efficiently and accurately review any moment, from any time, from every camera during a match.

 

SMT-VAR leverages two core technologies developed by SMT:

  1. SMT-Tandem operates as a simultaneous playback and record video server, and

  2. SMT-Kaleidoscope functions as the front-end video mosaic client for Replay Operators and the Video Assistant Referee.

In the fall of 2021, SMT-VAR became a FIFA-certified Video Assistant Referee system passing all the test protocols outlined by FIFA at their first annual certification event in Stockholm.

Key Features

  • Simultaneous playback and recording support for HD video signals (SMT-Tandem)

    • Includes all necessary broadcast cameras, VOR camera and VAR video mosaic output

    • Configurable live buffer delay for all video up to 3 seconds

  • Robust and intuitive Replay Operator tiled mosaic interface (SMT-Kaleidoscope)

    • Create custom video tile layouts or use a layout preset

    • Configure individual video displays with custom label overlays and timecode information

    • Manage Incident playlist and track all reviews of important moments from the match

    • Edit incident durations and loop-specific incidents when reviewing

    • Color-themed incidents to identify user role (RO, VAR, AVAR) tagged incidents

    • Video tile zooming via mouse wheel or pinch-to-zoom touch screen​

  • ​One-button incident marking controls for VAR/AVAR

  • Sync with external playback controller for efficient jog/shuttle controls

  • Links with SMT-VAR Manager, a web application, for exporting clips post-match from anywhere for instant or on-demand analysis.

  • A scalable solution can be fitted for any size production or event

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Prospective VOR room with SMT-VAR

VOL

VIRTUAL OFFSIDE LINE

SMT’s FIFA-certified Virtual Offside Line (VOL) is the world's most accurate Virtual Offside Line system and has been used by the Portuguese Football Federation since 2019. Harnessing decades of 3D and augmented reality graphics expertise, we have created a system that gives VAR, AVAR, and on-field referees the tools to confidently scrutinize any potential offside situation.

As a next step, SMT will be adding limb-tracking data to its solution to automate the process for an offside decision. By ingesting live, limb-tracking data, OASIS can visualize an automated VOL in real time that can be used by the VAR as a live offside alert system. Here is a demonstration:

OPTICS

EVENT-BASED GRAPHICAL INSERTS

OPTICS is a packaged replay system for custom choreography of highlight packages and clips for downstream distribution based on automated, event-based choreography of graphical inserts based on scoreboard, tracking, and official scoring data. Features include:

  • Live, game action-based virtual inserts – player highlights, trails, and stat-based pointers

  • Analysis-based virtual inserts – heat maps, volumetric and other stats-based displays

  • Full traditional CG insert package functionality – including data interface and free edit-based full-screen and lower-third graphics

  • Clock and score bug graphical output – fully interfaced to real-time scoreboard data feeds

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Stat-based graphic – time on ice

EDGE

DATA ANALYTICS

EDGE is SMT’s market-leading analytics tool that allows coaches, analysts, and scouts to query, visualize, and interact with both data and video. Currently in use in the NHL, EDGE tracks over 250 metrics on all facets of the game, enabling a level of granularity and analysis never before seen in ice hockey. Features include:

  • Analysis: Filter data and search for players or teams by date ranges, play periods, characteristics and/or similarities to make searching and analyzing players more efficient.

  • Visualization: Through the use of visualizations, from 2D sprite maps to charts and heatmaps, users can better communicate information, notice positional patterns and analyze tendencies.

  • Customization: Through its use of drag-and-drop modules, EDGE allows users or teams to customize their layouts and workflow; coaches and other staff members can focus on the areas of the game that matter most to them.

  • Querying: Coaches and staff can use dropdowns to select unique events and types – such as all passes by a player – to teach and analyze.

  • Automation: Create automatic playlist filters that sort video files for the coaching staff or analysts after a game based on the selected inputs.

  • Sharing: Users can share playlists of video through the EDGE app across the organization, allowing for easy communication.

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Augmented graphics – Player spacing

IN-VENUE

DISPLAYS AND PRODUCTION

SMT’s comprehensive video board productions enhance the game-day experience by providing fans with a deeper understanding of trends along with an opportunity to interact in a collective way through social media. SMT’s graphics and animations create a more informed and loyal fan base by using real-time and historical data, trivia questions, broadcast feeds, sponsor messages and public service announcements. From scoreboards to information towers, our productions tell the unique story of each event. 

SMT has provided displays and/or display production services for the following events:

NHL Playoff Venues

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Scoreboard Content Production

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Chair Umpire LED

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Waste Management Superwall

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VFAB

VIRTUAL FANS, ADS AND BRANDS

As the sports world entered the era of limited fan attendance, SMT responded with V-FAB, a virtual platform that reignites the energy and excitement of cheering crowds while offering sponsors new ways of blasting brands and messages to consumers.

SMT’s V-FAB system infuses broadcasts with the high energy of virtual fans in the stands, while empowering sponsors and advertisers with in-game, geographically targeted virtual ads and messaging.

Virtual Ads

MLS is Back Tournament

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Virtual Scoreboard

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Virtual In-venue

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Billboard

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On-court insertion

ROOSTER

REMOTE OPERATION

SMT’s ROOSTER (Remote Optics Operator Staffing & Technology for Eliminating Risk) allows flexibility to place operators in any off-site location with the proper networking requirements, eliminating the need for workstation space requirements in the broadcast facility. Features include:

  • Low footprint hardware solution (3RU of equipment per control room)

  • Covers all monitoring feeds (up to 6 SDI), audio channels (up to 8 talk/listen) and remote operation of servers

  • Browser-based video solution allows flexibility for viewing to be done anywhere

  • Real-time streaming management to ensure minimal downtime

  • Low-latency video streaming solution guarantees live operation

  • Cloud-based streaming solutions allows for quick signal routing and video

  • Flexibility to scale operator positions

  • In a lower-rate market for cost-efficient staffing solutions

  • Access to 100-plus trained operators

  • Places the operators in the same location as support and product development for ideal communication and operator development 

  • Networking infrastructure already in place

  • Backup power and ISP solutions for minimal downtime

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ADDITIONAL INFO

SMT

FOOTBALL REEL

SMT

HIGHLIGHT REEL

OUR

TECHNOLOGY

Craft the story of your game by choosing from live and historical data and statistics, social media feeds, video and telemetry, all integrated into compelling graphics for display on video boards, scoreboards, and screens of all kinds.

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OUR

SERVICES

SMT's broadcast and event specialists take pride in helping our clients turn their visions into reality. From site review to choosing our most impactful solutions and on-site set-up and operation, SMT is devoted to our clients’ success every step of the way.

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