AE Live is a leading provider of television graphics. We offer graphics design, delivery, remote production, virtual studios and augmented reality solutions
AE Live (AE) is proud to have delivered the draft application system for the ECB’s (England and Wales Cricket Board) new cricket competition, The Hundred.
The 100-ball competition will see the world’s best cricketers compete for the first time in 2020 for eight brand new teams across seven cities. The much-anticipated player selection process for this modern format of cricket took place on Sunday 20th October 2019 and was broadcast live on Sky Sports.
AE’s bespoke draft application system was the vital centralised hub both in the lead-up to and during the live selection process. The system managed player registrations for the ECB and enabled over 1000 cricketers from around the world to register their interest in playing in The Hundred.
Teams were able to utilise the system online in advance of the selection process, to prepare for the draft by playing out different scenarios that could unfold during the live event. Team officials then put their strategies to the test as they selected their squad live on-air against rival managers. AE’s draft application drove the official timing data, which allowed each team up to 100 seconds to select their next player, as well as large monitor screens in the studio, that both team managers and Sky Sports production used to gather up-to-date information.
During the live player selection process, AE also delivered a range of broadcast graphics, including big-screen content, for Sky Sports’ coverage of this new event. Mark Bowden, AE’s Product Director, commented, “We were delighted to be given the opportunity to help deliver The Hundred Draft. Working with the ECB from the ground up on this project, this was the first outing for our new player management system which allowed us to join the dots from the registration system, through the draft software, then to the broadcast graphics and beyond to digital platforms. This offered both the ECB and Sky a seamless operation on a night where the technology was crucial to a successful launch of The Hundred”.