CT Tees off in the Race to Dubai
The Race to Dubai, a US$10 million season-long competition which replaced The European Tour Order of Merit
for 2009, offers the world’s leading players the chance to not only enhance their earning potential, but to have
their actions followed in close detail through cutting-edge on-course closed circuit tournament coverage.
Every event leading up to the season-ending Dubai World Championship at Jumeirah
Golf Estates in Dubai will provide enhanced coverage through the innovative visuals
provided by Creative Technology.
With 23 years of experience working closely with sports federations, promoters and
production managers on major events such as Wimbledon, the Ryder Cup, the Tour de
France, Olympic Games, the Rugby World Cup and many sporting World Championships,
Creative Technology is ideally placed to facilitate that state-of-the-art visual experience.
For the past two decades Tournament Television has been an evolving service on The
European Tour, with an integrated scoring and information package relayed to video
screens and monitors installed in the hospitality facilities around the course, in the
clubhouse and on-course hotel televisions. For the enhanced Race to Dubai sponsored
package, European Tour Productions (ETP) - a joint venture between The European Tour
and IMG, the world’s premier sports, entertainment and media company - sought a
company with a track record of success, innovation and the proven ability to deliver with
100% reliability throughout what is a very demanding schedule. With these requirements
in mind, and after an extensive evaluation process, Creative Technology was selected as
the Tournament TV supplier.
Creative Technology developed a bespoke real-time production system that combines
live information from broadcasters, pre recorded material and highlights with real time
graphics and scores updated from the event results system. This signal is then
distributed to a network of TV’s and large format video screens installed in key areas around the course. Where required the network
can be expanded to include the clubhouse and/or on-course hotels.
The content production system allows for real time recording of all four days of each golf tournament, with a dedicated playout server
to store and schedule clips, commercials and highlights packages produced on a separate edit system. This content is combined
with a locally generated graphic wrapper, providing a live scoring and results panel which is updated from the central scoring
database. The wrapper also incorporates tour and local sponsor logos and a real time clock.
The signal distribution system, perhaps the most challenging element of the package, is built around a ruggedised military
specification fibre system allowing fast and reliable installation of a bi-directional IPTV Network. Multiple HD channels can be
delivered to any suitable display device, including televisions, LED displays and projection equipment. Every display can be
individually controlled and monitored from the head end and all critical components are UPS protected to ensure the network is
maintained in the event of localised power failure.
The displays themselves vary between each tournament on The Race to Dubai series, but typically include an 18m
2
LED screen
packaged in a purpose built and fully branded mobile trailer unit and up to 100 HD televisions deployed throughout the hospitality
and tournament management facilities. All of this equipment is installed, operated and removed on a weekly basis for the duration of
the European Tour.
Dave Crump, Creative Technology’s Managing Director, commented: “CT are very pleased to have to have won this strategically
important contract after a long relationship with The European Tour. The development of this system is a great example of how CT
adapts technology developed for one application and uses it to enhance the delivery of visual imagery in an event environment. The
potential to expand the functionality of this system is enormous and will create many exciting new opportunities within the golf world
and the wider events industry.”
Ciaran Bone, European Tour Productions Senior Account Manager,
added: “European Tour Productions are delighted to have reached an
agreement with a company such as Creative Technology for the
provision of facilities for our Tournament Television service. We now feel
we have a first class ‘High Definition’ service to offer The European Tour,
promoters and sponsors alike. This is especially important given the
significant level of investment made in launching The Race to Dubai.
With CT’s help we will look to further enhance and improve the overall
spectator experience delivered at each European Tour event. So far we
have been extremely impressed with the level of commitment and
service from CT and look forward to a long and successful relationship”.
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