Spearheaded by legends in the badminton world, YONEX's newly invented Mix & Match Challenge is a team competition of not only skill but strategy and survival. Two captains draft their teammates from a pool of current and past national team players, top juniors, and more. The teams compete in over 5 games, two singles and three doubles. In Mix & Match, team captains can swap players between points to find the best matchup.
For its world debut in Japan on November 29, 2020, this new format was to be an exiting and friendly way for juniors and pros alike to have some serious fun. The broadcast needed to display engaging and informative graphics to make the new competition a viewing success.
For the Japanese event broadcast, YONEX turned to Certified Singular Service Provider Fuji Media Technology to provide high-end broadcast services including live graphics, camera, audio, lighting, and an HD outside broadcasting van.
For live graphics, Fuji Media Technology utilized Singular and built a set of custom overlays to display the match score, player details, and additional game information. With basic designs provided by YONEX, FMT rebuilt the elements in Singular and created a few new overlays themselves. Initially working remotely from home, FMT also created a custom control app for ideal live overlay operation. Compatible with an Apple MacBook Pro, the custom app was built using Singular's API and Apple Xcode. During the event, FMT operated the overlays using both their custom app and Singular Studio. Downstream, their custom converted HD-SDI output was sent to an outside broadcast van, where the Singular overlays were mixed with live video using their master switcher.
During YONEX's "Mix and Match Challenge" world debut in Japan on November 29, 2020, smiles weren't in short supply, proving this new format to be an exiting and friendly way for juniors and pros alike to have some serious fun.
Ken Tohyama of FMT described Singular as "the graphics service of the future." Echoing the enjoyment the players felt during the Mix & Match Japan event, Tohyama said, "Most importantly, Singular is very fun if you are a graphics enthusiast."