First SVG NEXT: AI, XR, and Beyond Conference Draws 250+ Attendees to Dissect Bleeding-Edge Technologies Revolutionizing Live Sports Video AI, XR/spacial computing, augmented reality (AR) graphics and virtual production, and immersive in-venue experiences were at the center of discussion at the event in Los Angeles By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital Friday, November 15, 2024 - 1:22 pm
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The first-ever SVG NEXT: AI, XR, and Beyond event was held on Wednesday, Nov. 13 in Los Angeles, drawing more than 250 industry professionals to discuss and network around the cutting- and bleeding-edge technologies impacting the sports media industry today and in the future.
It was an insightful journey into the future of the media and entertainment industry and how emerging technologies are expected to impact the sports-production community in the coming years. The program dove into the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Extended Reality (XR), virtual production, real-time fan engagement tools, and other next-gen innovations.
All sessions from SVG NEXT: AI, XR, and Beyond' will be available to watch on demand at SVG PLAY in the coming weeks.
Sports Video Group hosted the SVG NEXT: AI, XR, and Beyond event at the Luxe Sunset Blvd. Hotel in Los Angeles on Thursday. The programming was keynoted by Avi Bar-Zeev, Founder and President of RealityPrime and the XR Guild.
The event opened with a pair of pre-show sessions that included a preview of the ESPN Edge Innovation Conference with Kevin Lopes, VP, Sports Business Development & Innovation at ESPN and Zack Malet, Senior Director, Sports Business Development & Innovation at ESPN, as well as a presentation on The Evolution of Media Creation whitepaper (often referred to as the 2030 Vision') by MovieLabs from their Project Director, Production Technology; Entertainment Technologists, President Mark Turner.
The opening keynote was an informative and inspiring talk from Avi Bar-Zeev, RealityPrime and the XR Guild, Founder and President and Former Senior Manager of Experience Prototyping for Apple Vision Products. He shared insights on why prioritizing the human experience is crucial in guiding the decision to develop or integrate next-gen technology.
Many of the tradition SVG players took to the stage to break down how innovation is redefining live production both in game and in studio. That discussion included Dylan Boucherle, SVP, Production and Technical Operations for Warner Bros. Discovery; Jason Cohen, SVP, Remote Technical Operations for CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network; Mike Davies, EVP, Technical and Field Operations for Fox Sports; Ken DeGennaro, SVP, Media Operations and Technology for the NBA; and Liz Randall, Head of Business Operations at CAA.
The panel discussion entitled What's Next: How Sports-Tech Innovation is Redefining Live Production and Fan Engagement featured (left to right) Warner Bros. Discovery's Dylan Boucherle, CBS Sports' Jason Cohen, FOX Sports' Mike Davies, the NBA's Ken DeGennaro, and CAA's Liz Randall.
From there, the event's agenda was broken into four pieces: AI, XR/spacial computing, augmented reality (AR) graphics and virtual production, and immersive in-venue experiences.
Artificial Intelligence Real Talk A practical discussion on the impact of AI in media and entertainment looked to demystify the myths and allay some fears. That spotlight conversation included Rick Champagne, Director, Media & Entertainment Industry Strategy and Marketing at NVIDIA and Parth Patil, the AI Specialist at the Office of Reid Hoffman.
A featured discussion on the topic of AI included NVIDIA's Rick Champagne (left) and AI specialist Parth Patil from the Office of Reid Hoffman.
That was followed up by a panel discussion on how AI is transforming every aspect of the content ecosystem. Dissecting that topic were Simran Butalia, Senior Solutions Architect at Twelve Labs; Rick Hack, Former Head of Media & Entertainment Partnerships at Intel Corporation; David Shapiro, President of North America for Pixellot; and Rachel Joy Victor, Co-Founder of FBRC.AI.
Head-Mounted Displays Make a Comeback With the days of old-school VR behind us, the head-mounted display is enjoying a resurgence as spatial computing and Extended Reality (XR) technologies are going a long way to driving consumer adoption.
Event chairman Gregg Katano interviewed Bertrand Bert' Nepveu, the founder & former CEO of VRvana to break down the present and future of head-mounted displays.
SVG NEXT attendees were treated to a spotlight talk with a trailblazer in the space as Bertrand Bert' Nepveu, the founder & former CEO of VRvana and former Apple, Apple Vision Pro-Tech. Dev. Group; Triptyq Capital, co-founding partner spoke to what he's learned about the technology and what excites him for the future.
Why does this time feel different? A panel of experts broke down the work they are putting in to making XR and spacial computing a more immersive and enjoyable experience for users. Speaking were Natascha French, Chief Marketing Officer for MVP Interactive; Micka l Raulet, CTO at Ateme; S. (Jay) Jayaram, CEO and Co-Founder of Quintar; Dana Ware, Chief Creative Officer, NFL Projects for ARound; and Lucas Wilson, from Business Development at Advanced Systems Group (ASG).
The topic of XR and spatial computer was further discussed by a panel featuring (from left) MVP Interactive's Natascha French, ATEME's Micka l Raulet, Quintar's Jay Jayaram, ARound's Dana Ware, and Advanced Systems Group's Lucas Wilson.
Augmented Reality, Virtual Production Elevate the Viewer Experience In the broadcast environment, augmented reality graphics and virtual production tools are dramatically changing how live stories can be told, especiall
