Jed Drake, ESPN's senior vice president of product innovation, told me the network is always looking to enhance the viewing experience for the fans. He said, "Soccer is mostly a free-flowing game, but there is purpose behind each movement. The virtual player-tracking graphics allows us to offer viewers richer context to the nuances behind the on-the-field tactics."

"Earlier this year, during the MLS All-Star match, we introduced cameras embedded within the goal posts to give fans an idea of what the action looks like from that perspective," Drake added. "The virtual graphics are another extension of our commitment to delivering quality MLS productions."



[Image credit: Associated Press; video courtesy of ESPN]