NBC Sports Introduces Real-Time Player Tracking for Enhanced Fan Experience

NBC Sports is rolling out an innovative AI-driven player tracking system that allows fans on mobile devices to zoom in on their favorite athletes. This marks the first time the viztrick AiDi technology, originally developed by Japan’s Nippon Television Network, will be utilized by a different broadcaster. The feature is set to debut during live event coverage this year.

The viztrick AiDi system employs facial recognition to pinpoint and monitor individual players, featuring a user-friendly interface that lets operators simply tap on the athlete they wish to follow. In Japan, Nippon TV has used this technology to enhance broadcasts with overlays displaying player names and stats. NBC Sports plans to leverage it to provide tailored content for mobile users in a vertical format.

Fans will have the option to watch the standard horizontal broadcast of a game or event through the NBC Sports app, or they can choose to focus on a popular player using the viztrick AiDi technology. This system can automatically extract footage of athletes in real time, cropping it from horizontal broadcasts into a vertical format ideal for mobile viewing. While specific events or broadcasts featuring this technology have yet to be announced, NBC Sports is set to cover the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano and Cortina.