2023-09-07 00:03:33
To ensure that everyone gets the most out of a smooth UEFA club competition match, a huge amount of work is done up front to ensure that every team, every match and every broadcaster receives the same high level of service.
In this article presented by Engelbert Strauss, we find out how UEFA ensures that the level of TV coverage remains consistent from stadium to stadium for every UEFA Europa League or UEFA Europa Conference League match.
Every match is different, but one of the main tasks of UEFA’s match teams is to ensure that there is a certain consistency in all matches, both for viewers and for fans in the stadium. “Television colleagues are there to ensure the quality of a match’s production from a television perspective,” explained Ken Nikravesh, UEFA’s chief match operations officer. “Thus, a consistent product is offered for each match. »
“When someone comes across a Europa League match on TV, we want them to know instantly that it’s the Europa League: that the distinction is made between the Europa League and the Conference League,” confirms UEFA Venue Operations and Broadcast Manager (VOBM) Thomas Attal.
As UEFA works with a series of host broadcasters, things like graphics or replays remain consistent from match to match, while the arrival of the video assistant referee (VAR) system in the UEFA Europa League has increased the pressure on venue teams. “Everyone expects a lot from the Europa League now and VAR is part of the competition, so it’s growing year by year,” said Nikravesh.
Venue Director (VD), Venue Broadcast and Operations Manager (VOBM) and host broadcaster representatives meet prior to the match to ensure all broadcast protocols are understood and respected, and that the cameras are pointing in the right directions at the right times.
“The venue manager announces the countdown to kick-off: key moments, warm-up times, planned activities for supporters, so the host broadcaster can ensure they broadcast those moments says Nikravesh. “If there is lawn mowing, if there is pitch watering at certain times, the host broadcaster needs to know that in case they have to protect the cameras that are on the edge of the pitch. »
The countdown to kick-off is pretty consistent from game to game; the broadcasters film the arrival of the teams, then the compositions are delivered 75 minutes before kick-off. Backstage officials then check the equipment before the players go out for their warm-up, return to the locker room and finally step onto the pitch for the game proper.
After the match, there is also an established plan. While some players are picked up for pitchside Flash interviews, others are taken for post-match doping tests. The referee, on the other hand, validates the score sheet, then the key elements are approved by the match delegate, who is the most senior official in each match.
There’s a lot to do, and Mr. Attal says it requires a lot of organization from the staff there. “Teamwork is absolutely essential for this,” he says. “I would say the biggest challenge is making sure you’ve set your priorities so that you have the time to do everything you need to do, because otherwise time runs very fast against you. »
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