Japanese Pro Baseball Captures Data-Driven Broadcast Breakthrough

Tokyo, Japan – Japanese professional baseball is embracing a new era of data utilization in broadcasts, similar to innovations seen in Major League Baseball (MLB) thanks to players like Shohei Ohtani. This shift aims to enhance viewer experience by providing real-time insights into player performances and game statistics.

The system, developed by Hawk-Eye Innovations, a subsidiary of Sony Group, processes tracking data on the Google Cloud Platform. It gathers information from various sports to improve referee decisions and is now being used in Japanese baseball broadcasts.

Daisuke Niwa, the Executive Officer of Digital Business at NPB Enterprise, explained the initiative’s goals. He noted that Japanese viewers are already experiencing the excitement of real-time data generated digital content during MLB games. “Data allows fans to better understand the players’ skills and compare them with others and historical data, offering new ways to enjoy the game,” Niwa said.

Previously, individual teams independently collected and utilized game data for analysis. The new system unifies data management for all 12 teams under the NPB Enterprise, promoting collective data use to enhance Japan’s professional baseball appeal.

The project, involving collaboration with Google Cloud and Sony, is being developed in phases. Niwa outlined the vision of using data to showcase player and game excellence, indicating upcoming features like real-time analytics on pitch speeds and ball movements.

Fumihiro Hirai, an executive at Sony, elaborated on their role in the sports data business, especially with Hawk-Eye Innovations. This technology is used in over 25 sports to support referees by providing accurate data on player and ball movements.

The integration of Hawk-Eye’s tracking technology aims to refine performance analysis and enhance spectator experience through data visualization. “We can provide insights previously unavailable, showcasing players from various perspectives,” Hirai said.

The camera installations at all home stadiums are expected to be complete by 2024, with data on hits, pitches, and player movements set to enhance the content management system developed by Sony. This infrastructure will streamline the collection and presentation of game data for the season.

Google Cloud was chosen for its proven capabilities in managing baseball data. Their resources, including Cloud Run, Cloud SQL, and Cloud Storage, provide the necessary infrastructure to handle varying data volumes from simultaneous games.

Munehiro Yasuhara, a technology director at Google Cloud Japan, highlighted the benefits of this partnership, including technical advantages and flexible resources. By utilizing Google’s Tech Acceleration Program (TAP), early collaboration with their engineers facilitated an efficient development of this innovative broadcasting approach.