No other major sporting competition can trace its lineage back as far as the Olympics. The genesis of this prestigious tradition dates back to ancient times, and many events contested at the modern Games have remained fundamentally unchanged since the days of the ancient Greeks.
However, although the sports themselves have not changed much, the environment in which they are played has evolved considerably. Technology now plays a central role in all aspects of our lives, and new advances have revolutionized the way we live, work, relax, and socialize.
Bring live game broadcasts to small broadcasters
The sports industry offers a shining example of this phenomenon in action. It is one of the largest industries in the world and successive technological developments have played a key role in its growth. From live radio and television to data science and analytics, sports organizations have been able to harness new technologies to reap huge benefits for themselves and sports fans around the world.
Video distribution is perhaps the most visible example; Combined with more traditional media channels, live digital broadcasting capabilities now allow sports broadcasters to reach fans anywhere in the world. This was demonstrated during this year's Winter Olympics in Beijing, where the International Olympic Committee's partnership with Alibaba Cloud enabled Olympic Broadcasting Services to support broadcasters around the world with live footage of the events.
Previously, coverage of live events relied on expensive satellite links and dedicated international telecommunications lines, as well as significant investments in on-site hardware, installation time, and technical support. As such, coverage of the Games was limited to large organizations that could foot the bill and save time setting up the necessary infrastructure.
This year, however, OBS Cloud has enabled media organizations to access multi-camera live feeds at a fraction of the cost and with minimal physical equipment, in addition to the latency and scalability benefits inherent in cloud-hosted architecture. cloud. Not only did this lead to more stable and reliable video streams, but it also dramatically leveled the playing field for broadcasters, allowing smaller organizations to use live streams.
"In the context of COVID-19, our partnership with Alibaba Cloud has continued to transform the way we broadcast the Olympic Games," said OBS CEO Yiannis Exarchos. "OBS Cloud is one of the most profound technological changes to the way we operate – not only providing broadcasters with unprecedented efficiency, but also endless opportunities to innovate and seamlessly deliver the excitement of the Olympic Games to the audience. widest possible."
Real-time intelligence management using the cloud
Fan engagement is another key part of modern sports culture, and digital platforms are used extensively in sports organizations' strategies to build deeper relationships with their fans. This can include everything from forums and community spaces where fans can share their love of the game, to cutting-edge solutions like Alibaba Dong Dong's virtual influencer or its Cloud ME remote social experience, a cloud-powered realistic projection that facilitates remote social interactions. to give fans new ways to connect with the sport and each other.
Sports organizations have also embraced the technology to introduce efficiencies to the commercial and logistical aspects of the industry. The development of a sporting event depends on a large number of moving parts; it is necessary to monitor ticket sales, manage the competition calendar well and support and attend to the needs of the teams themselves.
It's complicated enough for something as simple as a football game, but for an operation as big as the Olympics, it's a different matter entirely. Instead of representatives from a handful of Hellenic city-states, the Games now host tens of thousands of athletes, officials and support staff, not to mention the countless fans who attend and watch from all over the world.
The ability to manage real-time intelligence is a crucial factor in balancing these different variables, and the sports industry as a whole has enthusiastically embraced cloud-based intelligence analytics platforms as a means of making accurate decisions based on these. measurements. Real-time intelligence analysis enables organizations to respond quickly to changing circumstances and address situations in a more agile manner.
The IOC is no stranger to these challenges. The smooth running of the Games requires precise and meticulous coordination, and relies on multiple technology platforms working together. For the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, this included Games Management Systems (GMS), Olympic Games Management Systems (OMS) and Olympic Games Distribution Systems (ODS), all of which were designed by the CIO's global IT partner, Atos, and implemented in the Alibaba cloud. to deal with the logistical and managerial challenges of managing such a large and demanding event.
Make the Olympic Games more sustainable
However, the intelligence derived from these cloud-based systems hasn't just helped organizers plan for this year's Games; it will also allow future host cities to plan their own logistics much more efficiently, giving them the tools and information to effectively redeploy existing infrastructure or assets while minimizing the investment needed to build them from scratch.
"Beijing 2022 should be the champion of innovation and sporting achievement," said IOC technical director Ilario Corna. "I am delighted to see cloud-based technology in action at the Olympic Winter Games, which not only benefits the athletes, fans and operations staff, but also helps us deliver on our ambition to ensure that the Games Olympians are at the forefront of sustainability."
The digital transformation has had a profound impact on the entire landscape of the modern sports industry, as well as on society as a whole. As one of the world's most recognized sports institutions, the Olympic Games' embrace of this new paradigm demonstrates how core cloud technologies have become truly timeless, inclusive, agile and connected deliverables.