The new Broadcast Control Room 2 at Jalan Besar Stadium

 

SINGAPORE, 17 JUNE 2022 – The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) today announced exciting plans to bring the viewing experience of AIA Singapore Premier League (SPL) matches to greater heights.

 

On the technical front, this will be achieved through new in-house production and broadcast capabilities, which have been made possible with next-generation FIFA-certified software-based football productions systems. Supplied to the FAS as part of a five-year contract with Ideal Systems, the region’s largest broadcast and media systems integrator, these systems will be utilised in a new football production hub housed at the Jalan Besar Stadium. The Jurong East Stadium, Our Tampines Hub, Hougang Stadium and Toa Payoh Stadium have all been retrofitted with remote cameras that relay the feeds back to this hub – known as the Production Control Room 2, which is the second such facility at the stadium.

 

New pitch-side camera systems that allow up to 40-time zoom have been installed, while network connectivity has been improved to deliver enhanced reliability and a smoother viewing experience. A new partnership with AE Live – a global leading provider of television graphics that counts the likes of FIFA, World Rugby, Women’s Tennis Association and Sky Sports as clients – will enable revamped graphics, such as for line-ups, to add dynamism to matches. More technical information can be found in the Appendix below.

 

The above technology was put in place prior to the start of the current season and has been utilised since the 2022 AIA Community Shield match. Subsequently, the processes were further refined during the first round of matches, which concluded on 20 April, to set the stage for an enhanced viewing experience for the remainder of the campaign.

 

 

Enhanced on and off-screen offerings

A line-up of top onscreen talent has complemented the enhanced production, headlined by established presenter John Dykes – a famous face in the world of sports broadcasting with over 20 years of experience. He is supported by a stellar cast that includes Shehzad Haque and Mark Richmond, regarded as two of the best sports commentators in the region, who will guide viewers through each match while former player Rhysh Roshan Rai and football coach Shasi Kumar will be on hand alongside them as pundits to provide expert analysis and insight. Each Matchweek will be headlined by one Match of the Week, where build-up commences 30 minutes prior to kick-off with a pre-match show that delivers detailed insights, team updates, exclusive opinions and more that will not be found anywhere else.

 

Content offerings around matchdays have been beefed up with two new shows: the SPL Social and SPL Express. The SPL Social, helmed by Singaporean sports personality Ashikin Hashim – better known as Futbolita – is a 30-minute Facebook show that sees her engage different guest stars every week on a variety of topics that span their thoughts on the SPL to their personalities off the pitch. Fans are also encouraged to get involved with contests that offer enticing prizes. On the SPL Express, former professional player and football analyst Rhysh Roshan Rai offers short and sharp analysis on a short-form show that looks back on the previous week of SPL action and previews the upcoming round to bring fans closer to the league.

 

 

Valued partnerships

All SPL and Singapore Cup matches this season will be live-streamed online on the SPL YouTube channel and Mediacorp’s meWATCH platform, in addition to being broadcast on Singtel and StarHub.

 

On matchdays, experienced “live” sports broadcasting personnel are provided by our valued production partner Mediacorp, including the cameramen, producers, replay operators and other necessary personnel to help deliver a high-class viewing experience.

 

Abhishek Ravikrishnan, Manager (Content and Production), FAS, believes that the slew of technical improvements, combined with the stellar line-up of broadcast talent, will add unprecedented value for the fans.

 

“The fan experience is of great importance to the FAS and as the SPL grows in excitement and reputation, we are constantly striving to deliver the best possible viewing experience to them,” he said. “This is even more vital in light of the current capacity limits at match venues, which means that a majority of our audience will be tuning in online or on television. The new broadcast systems that we have put in place this season with the help of Ideal, together with the best of onscreen talent in Singapore, will ensure that experience is optimal. During the first round of matches, some teething issues that came up were addressed with all partners and we are now confident that going forward, fans can receive a modern, fresh and dynamic experience no matter where they are tuning in from.”

 

Fintan Mc Kiernan, CEO Ideal Systems Singapore, said: “We are ecstatic to be working with FAS on this project. They have been so supportive of our use of new technologies like NDI (Network Device Interface) and software-based live production tools which has allowed our technology team to create a truly next-generation solution and what we believe is a world-first for IP based live sports production at a national scale.”

 

 

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE

 

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