La Liga has said that it will use virtual images of stands and audio of fans cheers for its television broadcasts when it returns on June 11.
The matches will be played behind closed doors with no fans present, but audience will be able to experience broadcasts with virtual images and audio, produced by makers of the FIFA video game.
In a statement on Sunday, La Liga said that the use of technology will help audience to watch matches in an attractive way, closely resembling the manner in which they looked and sounded before the league was postponed after the coronavirus shutdown.
“In moments when the game is stopped, this image of fans can be transformed into a canvas that matches the colour of the home team and will carry institutional messages among other offerings,” the statement read.
Collaborating with VIZRT, a Norwegian company, La Liga said that the virtual stands will offer to-scale images of seated fans wearing the home team’s colours.
The audio, on the other hand, has been developed with EA SPORTS FIFA, in a project called Sounds of the Stands.
“Through this, the audio library of LaLiga official sponsor EA, which was recorded in real stadiums, has been used and has been digitally adapted so that it can be implemented in real time during the match,” read the statement.
“It will be adapted to the flow of the game as certain situations occur, such as a goal or a foul, creating what is known as Atmospheric Audio.”
The Spanish league’s president Javier Tebas said that the broadcasting changes have been made so that fans can enjoy the La Liga.
La Liga returns on Thursday with a match between Sevilla and Real Betis.
Barcelona lead the table by two points over Real Madrid with 11 rounds of matches left. The season was halted in March after the outbreak of COVID-19.
(With inputs from agencies)