GoKawiilWe learned last month that Apple TV would be airing the first major live sporting event shot entirely on iPhone – specifically, a set of fifteen iPhone 17 Pro Max models.
A new piece has given us a behind-the-scenes look at the setup for this, with MLS, saying that it offered a number of benefits over conventional cameras – though there is a rather sizeable asterisk …
Apple first announced its plans shortly before the game.
This Saturday, May 23, Apple TV will present a special live Major League Soccer match captured exclusively on iPhone 17 Pro — marking the first time iPhone will be used to capture the entirety of a major professional live sporting event broadcast. Developed in partnership with MLS, the milestone broadcast will feature the LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo FC, streaming live on Apple TV.
The company said at the time that the iPhones would deliver the video quality fans expect but bring viewers closer to the action, thanks to the small form factor of the devices compared to conventional broadcast cameras.
CNET got a look behind the scenes and says that 15 iPhones were used. MLS says that eight of the iPhones were shooting through the built-in lenses, and these added the most value.
There’s were two or three cameras more than typically used in previous games, executive vice president of Media for Major League Soccer Seth Bacon told the media during an on-field preview before the match. But the better value is being able to position iPhones just using their regular lenses in places where large-lens cameras wouldn’t fit, like behind the goals and facing teams on the sideline. “Those bench cameras you saw, we can’t get cameras that close, usually. What we’ll do is, we’ll shoot across the field to get reaction shots,” Bacon said. “The kind of compactness of the iPhone and being able to put it right there is a big, big step forward for us.”
The “kind of” disclaimer is required because the lenses used on the other seven iPhones weren’t exactly the sort of thing a consumer could go out and buy. CNET said they appeared to be Fujinon Duvo 25-1000 Cinema Box Lenses, costing a cool $265k each. That’s close to two million dollar’s worth of lenses in all.
However, the benefits of more compact camera setups in certain areas are undeniable – though MLS hasn’t yet dared take feeds from the microphones of the iPhones positioned close to players and coaches, thanks to the possibility of “colorful language” during tense moments.
The full piece is well worth reading if you want a sense of how this type of operation works.
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