Amazon will this week debut a new feed for live football matches featuring augmented reality data graphics and real-time tactical analysis, the latest attempt by a sports broadcaster to improve engagement, especially among younger people.
Prime Vision will make its first appearance in the UK on Tuesday night during the first round of Uefa Champions League matches, including Tottenham Hotspur vs Villareal. The alternative feed includes automated graphics such as players' names, running speeds and jump heights overlaid on the live video stream.
Shots on target will generate instant pop-ups showing ball speed and goal probability, while circles will spin under players with the ball at their feet or open for a pass.
Amazon has also developed a "momentum bar", showing which team is more likely to score next, and a "tactical map" highlighting the live position of every player on the pitch.
Executives hope these visual "enhancements" will help keep fans more engaged with the action on the pitch.
"Prime Vision allows us to experiment and test an all-new broadcast," said Alex Green, managing director of Prime Video Sport's international division. "We are going to take the time to listen to fans and add functionality in the years to come."
The long-term goal is to create a suite of graphic and data options that viewers will be able to customise themselves while watching live matches.
Prime Vision was first rolled out in the US in 2023 as part of Amazon's coverage of the National Football League. The company said the average age of those watching the alternative feed of the American Football coverage was seven years younger than those tuning in to the traditional broadcast.
The NFL has been at the forefront of experimenting with new forms of live sports broadcast. Last year's Super Bowl was aired on children's network Nickelodeon, with cartoon characters SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Starfish used as live pundits and augmented reality showing young fans virtual green slime sprayed over the end zone after a touchdown.
Many broadcasters have been trialling new ways to present live sports feeds, amid growing fears that younger viewers have been losing interest or switching off.
In 2023, YouGov reported 31 per cent of global sports fans aged 18-24 were watching live matches, compared with 75 per cent of people aged 55 and over. Younger people preferred to watch highlights, follow athletes on social media or engage with their favourite sports through video games.
Rights holders have increasingly looked to gaming for inspiration. Prime Vision borrows heavily from the visuals that have been commonplace for years in popular football video games, such as football game EA FC -- successor to the Fifa series -- and NFL title Madden.
This year the NFL, technology company Genius Sports and Electronic Arts joined forces to create a live feed of a match that was presented to viewers as if it were a video game. The Premier League has worked with Sky Sports to create a "game mode" for its live broadcasts and acquired a stake in Rezzil, a virtual reality software company.