Australian Open
The Australian Open is a major tennis event, which now features unique ways of streaming due to media rights restrictions. The tournament developed a live, animated version of its matches available on YouTube using real-time data. This allows a new kind of accessibility to tennis games for a new audience of fans. The streams present tennis games with animated avatars of each player. This page details this alternate version of games from the Australian Open tournament.
Australian Open Latest updates: | |
---|---|
Animated YouTube Streams | The Australian Open is offering animated match streams on YouTube for audiences world wide. |
Use of ELC Data | Tracking data from the Electronic Line Calling system to map the movement of the players and the trajectory of the ball, before overlaying the skins |
Avoiding Broadcast Rights Issues | Using animated avatars on stream avoids conflicts with broadcast rights. |
Increasing Viewership | This alternative stream has generated greater views compared to the tournament. |
AI and Animated Tech | The use of AI gives a novel and alternate means for showing all matches. |
Latest

Australian Open Uses AI Animated Avatars for Online Streaming
The Australian Open uses animated avatars for online broadcasts providing a creative method to expand audience reach while using innovative technology.
-
Question 1: Why is the Australian Open using animated streams?
Answer 1: The use of animation for online streams on the tournament avoids the media right issues of live video games.
-
Question 2: How do they create the animated characters?
Answer 2: The use of ELC tracking data captures the actions and movement of actual players and uses that data to move the cartoon style versions of players.
-
Question 3: How accurate are the animated feeds to the real tennis matches?
Answer 3: The animated stream is a live event just two minutes behind real play. Offering commentary and play from live matches. The use of ELC is precise and highly accurate for players.
-
Question 4: Where can I watch these animated games?
Answer 4: The games are streamed on the official Australian Open Youtube channel. As well on various sports news channels that have streaming systems.
-
Question 5: What do viewers gain with the animated style over video streams?
Answer 5: The technology adds an additional layer of visual style that allows the tournament more ways to present their event.
-
Question 6: Are the players also aware of their animated avatar?
Answer 6: Yes the athletes themselves have also engaged with their animated versions with jokes. The system of use is well known across the sports world.
-
Question 7: Has animation of sport been used before?
Answer 7: Yes, various sports leagues including the NBA, NFL and NHL. Including the Simpsons episodes.
-
Question 8: Will more tournaments use this in the future?
Answer 8: It is possible that these streaming methods become the norm for most sports across major organizations and major sport events.
-
Question 9: How much of delay does this animated stream have with live games?
Answer 9: The animated streams are usually delayed by about 2 mins due to time needed for processing the data.