Major League Baseball (MLB) and NTT, the Japan-based information technology company, have partnered on a multi-year partnership.
The announcement was made today at MLB Headquarters in New York by Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., and NTT President and Chief Executive Officer Jun Sawada.
This collaboration will explore and leverage advanced technology platforms, highlighted by NTT’s Ultra Reality Viewing (URV), to create new experiences for baseball fans. Also, as “Official MLB Fan Experience Partner for Ultra Reality Viewing” and “Title Sponsor of MLB Network Ballpark Cam,” NTT will increase its brand awareness by utilizing MLB’s various distribution platforms including digital, mobile, social, offline and television.
Ultra Reality Viewing is NTT’s real-time super high-definition surround video synthesis technology that combines multiple 4K camera images into a super-wide image such as 12K in real-time and transmits them synchronously to remote locations. With the super high-definition surround videos which cannot be captured by general cameras, audiences can view sports content as if they were watching it live in the stadium or on the field. It has been successfully implemented in Japan to enhance audience viewing and fan experiences with very positive results.
MLB and NTT are in the planning stages for a prototype URV experience at select upcoming games. Specific details and preview media opportunities will be announced at a later date.
“We’re excited NTT has committed to building an expanded baseball technology portfolio and we eagerly anticipate what the partnership will deliver for clubs and fans,” said Manfred. “Sharing, and executing on, a vision to leverage advanced technologies to benefit baseball fans will serve as the foundation for how our NTT partnership will explore and experiment with unique ways to create new baseball experiences.”
“NTT is proud to partner with MLB and accelerate the future of smart sports,” said Jun Sawada, president and CEO, NTT Corporation. “Technological innovations have the potential to change sport and fan experience drastically. Based on our heritage of innovation and successful implementation experience, we will contribute to MLB’s success by creating a new fan experience with our unique Ultra Reality Viewing technology. Through this partnership, NTT aims to establish the valuable technology solution that brings Smart Sports to life.”
NTT Ballpark Cam
NTT also becomes the title sponsor of MLB Network’s award-winning Ballpark Cam technology. Controlled from MLB Network’s studios in Secaucus, NJ, NTT Ballpark Cam is a robust network of cameras installed across all 30 MLB ballparks, allowing MLB Network to capture unique pre-game and postgame on-field footage and live on-camera interviews for each of its eight studio shows. The Emmy-nominated tech also delivers live game content to MLB Network daily for use across its live and original programming, making MLB the only U.S. pro sports league to have this type of cross-organizational asset.
