Premier League to trial bodycams in Wolves v Tottenham fixture

Saturday’s Premier League fixture between Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers is set to make history with the first-ever introduction of bodycams, the Daily Mail reports.

TNT Sports have struck a historic partnership with the Premier League, which will see a player from each team wear a bodycam during the warm-up session at Molineux.

Bodycams were first introduced during the pre-season clash between Aston Villa and Newcastle United in the United States Premier League summer series.

However, the deployment at Molineux marks the first instance of the technology being used in a competitive Premier League fixture. 

The groundbreaking initiative is aimed at providing fans with a unique perspective into a player’s pre-match routine.

IFAB laws currently prohibit the use of the technology in competitive matches. But TNT Sports hopes to change the initiative using the warm-up session to offer viewers a glimpse behind the scenes. 

The company behind the bodycams have created a special AI-powered stabilisation camera that captures footage which will be uploaded instantaneously for broadcast.

Attached to an ultralight vest, the device boasts a minuscule camera stitched to a GPS vest beneath the player’s shirt, with a hole in the jersey at chest level ensuring the lens captures the on-field action.

Utilising AI auto-detection, the bodycam captures a wide-angle view of the pitch, later cropped to focus on the key moments. 

SteadiCam stabilisation technology guarantees smooth footage suitable for broadcast, while the camera is equipped with a lightweight, shatter-proof screen that is nearly invisible.

AI editing software uploads the footage in real-time, offering broadcasters quick accessibility, with TNT Sports eager to showcase the cutting-edge tool as part of their pre-match build-up at Molineux.

The Premier League head of media operations and innovation, Rachael Nightingale, said: “Finding new ways to bring our fans closer to the action on the pitch is a key focus for us.

“After the success of the bodycam trials at the Premier League Summer Series, we are looking forward to seeing what results this test will deliver for TNT and our audiences around the world.”