[Today’s posts are both news stories about new presence-evoking techniques being used in sports coverage. The story below from DesignTAXI describes how the Australian Open tennis tournament is using animated avatars of players to recreate match coverage in near-real-time on its YouTube channel. See the original version of the story for four embedded social media posts containing video examples. For more information, see coverage from AP via ABC News. –Matthew]

[Image: Credit: Australian Open]
The Australian Open reinvents tennis coverage with Wii Sports-style animated livestreams
By KeyboardKitty
January 16, 2025
The Australian Open 2025 has taken an unexpected yet wildly entertaining turn, with fans embracing animated livestreams that give the tournament a Wii Sports Tennis makeover. What began as a workaround for YouTube’s copyright restrictions has evolved into a viral sensation, offering a quirky, visually engaging alternative to traditional broadcasts.
Far from just a novelty, these animated streams have become a surprisingly compelling viewing experience, drawing in fans not only for the on-court action but for the creative spectacle of watching stars like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Coco Gauff reimagined as cartoonish avatars. While the graphics aren’t perfect, they do capture signature movements, outfit colors, and accessories, making for a fun yet oddly immersive way to watch the matches.
Powered by 12 tracking cameras and 29 motion points, the technology mirrors real-time action with a slight one-point delay, ensuring the animations stay closely synced with reality. The result is a playful yet impressively accurate depiction of the matches, blending cutting-edge technology with a nostalgic charm.
This isn’t the first time a major sporting event has experimented with animated coverage. The Australian Open trialed a rudimentary version in 2024, and its success this year suggests fans are increasingly open to alternative ways of experiencing sports. Other leagues have ventured into similar territory—the NFL’s Nickelodeon broadcasts introduced virtual slime and dynamic graphics, while the NBA’s Christmas Day special featured Mickey Mouse and Goofy calling the shots. These creative approaches show that sports broadcasting is evolving beyond realism, embracing interactive and imaginative experiences to attract new audiences.
Tennis Australia’s director of innovation, Machar Reid, sees vast potential in this technology. “It’s not as seamless as it could be—we don’t have fingers yet—but over time, you can imagine a world where that changes,” he said. With motion capture and AI advancing rapidly, the future could bring fully customizable sports viewing, allowing fans to toggle between ultra-realistic feeds and animated fun at the press of a button.
Whether this trend is a fleeting gimmick or a broadcasting revolution, one thing is clear—the Australian Open 2025 has already served up an ace. By blending nostalgia with innovation, it has proven that even the most traditional sports can get a tech-savvy glow-up, making tennis more accessible, engaging, and unexpectedly fun.
With animated sports coverage gaining momentum, could this be the key to attracting non-tennis fans, or even those who usually struggle to sit through an entire match?
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