HD wins the game: the Champions League final and the Euro Cup are left without 4K

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Despite being two of the most followed sporting events internationally, they have not been enough to conquer 4K and, finally, they will be broadcast in HD HDR. A decision that could mean a paradigm shift in television broadcasts.

Soccer is one of the sports with the largest number of spectators worldwide. And if we talk about competitions of the size of the Champions League and the Euro Cup, Its impact is multiplied exponentially. A scenario that makes it easier for operators, given their notoriety, to try to offer their viewers the best possible viewing experience.

However, it seems that all of the above has not been enough for broadcasters and rights holders to bet on 4K to broadcast your matches in 4K. Recently, it has been known that both events will be recorded in HD HDR, leaving Ultra High Definition aside, as reported by the International Broadcasting Convention in a statement issued.

soccer field and a ball

A paradigm shift

The decision is especially striking if we take into account that since 2016 the Champions League Final has been held broadcasting in UHD since 2015. A year later, the same was done with the Euro Cup. However, it seems that now the operators have chosen to try broadcasting this course in HD. Although, yes, they will use special cameras capable of capturing images in high dynamic range. That is, in HDR.

Although this movement may attract attention in Europe, the reality is that the decision was intuitive if we looked at the movements that were taking place in other countries. Amazon Prime, for example, had already opted for stream in 1080p HDR on Thursday Night Football of the NFL in the United States.

Different reasons

We find many reasons that explain this decision. First of all, the operators affirm that the tests they have carried out broadcasting in HD HDR compared to 4K indicate that viewers are more attracted to the contrast and sharper details in HD HDR playback. A scenario that adds to the technical difficulty and cost of broadcasting all content in 4K, according to the same source cited previously.

The cost of updating equipment has caused many broadcasters to choose to continue broadcasting in HD HDR improving, given the poor return caused by the transition to 4K.

Although this movement seems to indicate a strategic change in the plans of the main broadcasters, it should not be forgotten that on a very near horizon are the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Whose production is maintained in UHD HDR. Therefore, it is understood that depending on the reception it receives and the opinions of the spectators during the evolution of the sporting event par excellence, we will be able to learn a little more about the roadmap of the operators to promote broadcasts in 4K or They will continue to opt for HD HDR as the main standard to carry them out.

Does this mean that 4K Smart TVs stop making sense? No, not at all. In fact, the most popular streaming platforms are compatible with this resolution standard. So there is no reason to have doubts that in the coming years we will have a large amount of 4K content at our disposal.

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