CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Fox Sports will have some new tools to play with for its upcoming broadcast of the 117th U.S. Open Championship. Taking the course this year for the broadcaster’s coverage of the golf tournament will be new gear for augmented reality, expanding use of shot-tracing technology, weather-gathering instruments and aerial drone footage.
Viewers will be treated to augmented reality offerings with the help of a 75-foot Strada Camera Crane, which will enable graphic elements to be displayed on course, as well as a studio jib for analysis in a studio setting.
To increase its shot-tracing efforts, Fox Sports will equip all 18 holes with tracing ability with either live video or through a graphic representation of the hole. Nine tee boxes will have Toptracer technology, allowing for live ball trace over video. The remaining tee boxes are equipped with Trackman radar for a combination of ball tracing and enhanced data. A reverse tracer for shots coming into the 15th green is also expected to be employed, as is three roaming RF Toptracer units to show fairway shots.
Five weather instruments will also be deployed across the course to capture wind direction and wind speed in an effort to display any impact on play.
In addition, Fox Sports will work with DirecTV to offer three holes in 4K through DirecTV’s Featured Hole Channel, and 216 microphones will be positions around Erin Hills.
The 117th U.S. Open at Erin Hills takes place June 15-18 and will air on Fox, FS1, Fox Deportes and Fox Sports Go.
