Case Study: British Superbikes
2019 Qualifying Graphics
Football graphics are a piece of cake compared to Motorsport, simply because of the sheer amount of data being processed lap after lap!
Happy have been involved in Motorsport and Horse Racing for many many years and our focus has always been to help viewers understand what is going on in the sport and present the on-screen graphics in simple ways.
We don’t believe in blinding viewers with information overload - keep ALL viewers informed but don’t be smart arses with ‘look what we can do’ attitude some providers like to do.
TSL Timing - Commentators’ Screen
Did you know Motorsport Commentators use Timing screens that capture rider positions at start / finish line? If an overtaking happens mid lap, they don’t get the leaderboard change. The screen is out of date for most of the lap!
Happy were the first graphics supplier in the UK to implement clever software to take data from intermediate timing points around the track and create a ladder leaderboard updating at each sector around the track. This meant viewers were given more accurate information on-screen than the commentators had.
Data stored in Happy Database to create comparisons across multiple laps
Timing systems are very good at giving data for the latest lap - but no history is visible to commentators or viewers.
Happy were the first again in the UK to build a separate database storing thousands of data elements for each race to allow for graphics like 3 lap comparisons of lap times shown above.
There are many more areas of data that were challenged to expand what was possible to put on-screen eg.
Tyre Choice Data from Pirelli real-time once a race was started
Smart name tagging of DVE boxes so pit lane cameras had the correct graphic for the garage being shown
Head to Head - extract data for 2 riders for Post Race Analysis
Using the latest ChyronHego HX Servers and front ended with the bespoke Happy Control App, we could easily push out layers and layers of running clocks, ladders, video-in without any performance issues.
WHAT DID THEY SAY ABOUT HAPPY GRAPHICS?
"Considering the complexities and volume of the different racing categories in BSB, I'm always amazed at how accurate and complete the timing graphics are. From a television perspective, this is crucial to keep our audience informed of the different stories unfolding throughout the course of a race and a season.”
MATT ROBERTS - EUROSPORT PRESENTER
"My testimonial is based on nearly thirty years of association with you, during which time I found nothing but the highest level of expertise and co-operation.
It is vital that all elements of the organisational and broadcast team work as one, having complete empathy with each other's roles. That is a major strength where you are concerned.”
BARRY NUTLEY - EUROSPORT COMMENTATOR
"Over the years I have come to rely totally upon the TV pictures to do my BSB circuit commentary, equally the information provided by way of on screen graphics is invaluable & cannot be faulted. Knowing that it is the professionalism of Jeremy Tidy behind these graphics I have total confidence in the correctness of information provided. I would also say that the on screen ‘split times’ graphics for Superpole flying laps are not simply a luxury, but a necessity in my being able to capture & relate the on track excitement”
FRED CLARKE - BSB CIRCUIT COMMENTATOR