The NTT DATA Wall has gathered renown over recent years at The Open and has become a firm fan favourite at the event. Having seen its success in engaging golf enthusiasts, we are pleased to announce that the NTT DATA Wall will be coming to Germany for the first time, at this year’s BMW International Open. As a result, spectators at Golfclub München Eichenried will benefit from the same real-time data and intelligent insights that fans at The Open enjoy year after year.
Where it all began
The NTT DATA Wall was born into existence in 2014 as part of NTT DATA’s sponsorship of The Open at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. The initial concept behind the Wall was a simple one: to give fans a real-time visual interpretation of data collected from around the course, enabling them to stay abreast of all the action throughout the tournament. In sharing these insights across its 20m x 5.5m structure, NTT DATA would be adding to the fans’ understanding and enjoyment of The Open, transforming the fan experience.
The NTT DATA Wall brings together a vast range of data from numerous sources, including information such as player scores, hole rankings, driving distance, putting averages, percentage to hit the fairway, and weather conditions, to name a few. As a result, analysing all the data and maintaining a live stream of insights for fans is a massive undertaking for our analytics team. Data is taken directly from the golf course as events happen, creating over 8 billion data points over the course of a whole tournament, and is fed into algorithms to create the fully animated visual experience that fans enjoy on the Wall’s huge high-resolution screens.
Constant improvement and evolution
Over the past nine years, NTT DATA has added extra functions and capabilities to enhance the NTT DATA Wall further. For example, in 2018, NTT DATA introduced facial recognition technology that anonymously read the emotional reaction of spectators during key moments and then used this data to clip the relevant video, creating a highlights package based on fans’ emotions.
Then for the first time, in 2019, NTT DATA used its video AI technology to study facial expressions and body posture of players across the course. By doing so, spectators witnessed every emotion felt by the players as they prepared themselves for each pivotal shot they made, whether that was sinking a long putt for an eagle or saving par to remain in the chase for the lead. This gave fans unprecedented insights into the game of golf and the pressures felt by the professionals as all the drama unfolds.
The NTT DATA Wall in Munich
Bringing the NTT DATA Wall to Munich is just the latest step in our pursuit of transforming the fan experience for those following the BMW International Open. Fans had access to a personalised mobile experience last year, and we are pleased to be continuing to provide these personalised insights again this year. Coupled with the NTT DATA Wall, these elements will create a compelling narrative that will keep spectators gripped by the action throughout the whole tournament, providing an engaging storyline for them to follow.
At NTT DATA, we recognise the importance of fans to all sporting occasions. As a result, we understand that the fan experience is critical to the success of any sporting event. However, data is key to this success and data maturity is necessary to enable the insights that drive a personalised experience. NTT DATA works closely with its clients to achieve this maturity and can power the analytics that drives insights into fans’ favourite sports. By using innovative technologies to captivate spectators in new ways and keep them engaged with the sports they love, we can tailor experiences to individuals and generate unique and long-lasting memories for every fan, whether they are on the course or at home.
To find out more about how we use technology to build immersive sporting experiences for fans globally, go to: https://uk.nttdata.com/about-us/sport-sponsorships/