Taking on the task of broadcasting an entire Olympic games is, for some, the stuff of which nightmares are made. For others, the challenge no doubt represents a source of intrigue, if not excitement – but, even for the most creative and, for lack of a better word, courageous among us, the prospect still represents a trial of epic proportions.

For those countries who have taken on the challenge of broadcasting the Olympic games over the last two decades, it has become increasingly clear that more needs to be done to address the snowballing digitalisation – and the changing ways in which we, say, tune into live events, utilise our phones and other devices, and pay attention to history-making moments as and when they happen.

In 2016, for instance, 7,100 hours of footage were broadcast in just over two weeks. On its own, this fact is remarkable; when compared with the fact that the 2000 Olympic Games boasted just 3,500 hours, it is simply awe-inspiring, and testament to the dramatic increase in demand that is being placed upon broadcasters in charge of airing the games to people around the world.

Now, Tokyo has made it clear to fans anticipating the next Olympic games that the ways in which athletes’ stories are told will undergo a profound transformation – one that better exemplifies the hard work that pours into each and every moment of the games.

Through the Cloud, reporters and broadcasters will be able to access every moment where they are, rather than having to travel to the games in person. The result will be far greater flexibility for broadcasters across the globe, and a far more versatile approach to telling the story of the Olympic games.

Preserving Atmosphere

Remote broadcasting may seem, on the surface, to be something of a step backward, but we need only look at other examples which, while disparate, have managed to thrive in the wake of digitalisation. Take, for instance, the incredibly popular site GGPoker.com, which has flourished within a solely digital space – even in spite of the fact that poker was always seemingly dependent on the physical presence of the players.

Other notable examples include the luxury fashion industry, which has demonstrated a keen interest in turning fashion shows into immerse, reality-bending digital experiences.

Of course, the creative powers of the digital realm will not be deployed in the case of the Olympics. The same linear, straightforward approach to broadcasting will no doubt be taken toward the games, just as they were in previous years, but the fact remains that plenty of other areas of life once seemingly removed from digital spaces have held up remarkably well to increasing digitalisation.

Preparing the Olympics for the Future

This new approach is being taken primarily out of a desire to downsize, wherever possible, the environmental impact of the games. Ensuring that the press is able to offer the same level of coverage, while eliminating, in many cases, the need for a physical presence will carve the way for a future in which the Olympic games can exist more harmoniously with broader efforts to minimise our impact on the globe.

There are, of course, plenty of other upshots to this new approach – and, in all likelihood, this new form of broadcasting will enable plenty more technologically-driven innovations for the games, the players, and the millions of fans tuning into the games in the future. For those who have been following the games for decades, remote broadcasting may seem a little jarring, but it is expect to pave the way for the games going forward.

The games are anticipated to begin on 23 July 2021, and run into August.