Television Match Official (TMO) Operator

The Video Replay System and the TMO

The TMO video replay system ingests all available pitch-facing cameras from broadcast, in all available phases and quality as captured. This is essential for the TMO as it means that they have every angle available to them to help the decision-making process.

Video Feeds

The TMO video replay system not only ingests feeds from broadcast but also returns feeds as below: 

The TMO output

  • This is the main output that is integrated with broadcast. It is manipulated by the TMO Operator for formal reviews to home and the referee. This feed must have a privacy screen overlay to ensure it is not taken to air at incorrect times. The TMO Operator controls when the privacy screen is removed.

The TMO Technical output

  • This is an exact replica of the TMO output feed, but has timestamps and camera numbers overlaid on the feed so that the broadcast can work with the TMO Operator for live referrals etc. This feed does not have a privacy screen

Foul Play Review Officer (FPRO) Technical output

  • This feed is the output of the bunker with the same technical information on as the TMO technical output. For use of the broadcast and director team to show any information for decisions relating to the bunker

All watermarked feeds

  • These are TX, Wide, Tight, High Behind with the World Rugby tournament branding for distribution to team analysts. 

Communication and audio 

Communication panels are set up by the broadcast and communications teams. The TMO operator (or assistant - should there be one) will have a headset to communicate to the following as a minimum, with potential variations depending on the match: 

  • The Director
  • The Producer
  • The Video Engineers
  • The EVS team. 

The TMO will have communication access to the on-field referee team on both a private and a public channel. The public channel will be broadcasted live and is used for formal reviews on television. The private channel is a communication link to the referees without broadcast capabilities. It is important to note that while the TMO comms panel may have access to communicate with the director, during the game all communication between the broadcasters and the TMO go through the operator. This is to maintain impartiality. 

The Technical Guarantee has an additional headset and communication panel to enable communication with broadcaster technicians as a backup should the operator panel fail. This should enable them to fulfil their role and maintain communication in case of failure. 

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