Thirty-four cameras for the Champions League final

A total of 34 cameras will cover in conventional and 3D format the Champions League final between Inter-Bayern Munich next Saturday the 22nd at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. In the impressive display that TV3 will carry out, whose signal will be broadcast to 75 channels around the world, a Spidercam, a helicopter with Wescam, a Hi-Speed camera (hyper slow, 1,000 images per second), five Superslow (super slow, 75 images per second) and two Steadycam will be used.

An estimated 280 million viewers will follow the Champions League final between Inter and Bayern Munich next Saturday the 22nd from the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid. UEFA, which estimates that a quota never recorded before in the broadcast of a sports final could be reached, has entrusted the Catalan regional TV3 with this production due to the proven experience of its professionals, who, in addition to production, will produce the images in high definition and in conventional formats (2D) and, as a great novelty in a Champions League final, in stereoscopic 3D. These three-dimensional images can be seen in a movie theater in Barcelona.

UEFA notified TV3 of the commission to produce and signal the images of the Champions League final last February during a meeting held in the German city of Hamburg by directors of all the channels with broadcasting rights, and after five months of joint work to design the television coverage and assistance to foreign television stations. In March, the TV3 team publicly presented the broadcast deployment to representatives of all networks.

To fulfill this assignment from UEFA, Televisió de Catalunya will mobilize around one hundred professionals and technicians from the Sports Department and the Image Area, and will deploy a total of 34 camera positions. The cameras will occupy positions around the pitch, in the stands and in the airspace. Those installed in the airspace will be in a helicopter and a multipurpose Spidercam will move throughout the playing field.

The TVC Sports Department team in charge of broadcasting the Champions League matches is led by Òscar Lago, in the production, and Xavier Arandes and Pietat Gallardo, in the production. For the broadcast of the final, this team will have the participation of Xavier Garasa, in the production of the replays, with Noel Rubio, as production assistant, and Dani Munuera as head of statistics; and in the field of production, with Lorena Garcia and Carlos Rodríguez as assistants. On the other hand, Paulí Subirà and Àngel Muñoz will be in charge of creating the 3D signal.

On giant screen

The great novelty of this Champions League final will be its broadcast in 3D, the first of a major sporting event, which will also be produced and carried out by TV3, and which will represent a milestone, since for the first time in the world there will be a broadcast in 3D format of the Champions League final.

For this production in 3D format, called side by side, TV3 will have 13 cameras, of which two are aerial: a Wescam installed on a helicopter and a Spidercam that will move throughout the playing field. This 3D production for TV3 will be directed by Paulí Subirà and Àngel Muñoz. To fulfill this UEFA mandate, TV3 has partnered with the Belgian company Out Side Broadcast, which will provide its technology.

The side by side format sends two images through the same channel, one for the right eye and the other for the left eye. What a viewer would see on a television not adapted to the stereoscopic format, or 3D, is the screen divided into two apparently equal images. A superimposed notice will inform the viewer of the test broadcast that is being carried out. The two images on the screen present small differences that are difficult to detect with the naked eye, but television sets adapted to 3D technology join the two images and show them as one. TV3's 3D broadcast can be seen at the Cinesa Diagonal complex.

The end of the Champions, in figures

34 cameras, among which stand out

– 1 Spidercam (first time this camera is used in Spain)
– 1 helicopter with Wescam
– 1 Hi-Speed camera (hyper slow, 1,000 images per second)
– 5 Superslow cameras (super slow, 75 images per second)
– 2 Steadycam cameras

Total accredited TV technical and production staff: 1,500 people (one hundred TV3 professionals)

Television channels with rights moved to Madrid: 75

TV Compund space: 6,000m2

Mobile Units in the TV Compound: 80

TV and Radio commentator positions: 130

Additional cameras in the stadium from visiting television stations: 115

Accredited ENG cameras: 30

TV sets in the stands: 8 of 35m2

Sets in the locker room area: 3

Presentation positions on the platform: 4

Commentators on the pitch during the match: 16

Previous presentations on the playing field: 6

Flash Interview positions at the end of the match: 16

Photographers on the pitch: 180

Written press: 620 journalists