Scoop at TCS Amsterdam Marathon: live broadcast with real-time runners’ data from start to finish

The TCS Amsterdam Marathon can be followed live on Sunday 16 October at NOS Studio Sport, Eurosport and Discovery+. A unique technological innovation will be added to the broadcast of the elite race and the National Marathon Championship: thanks to specially designed RunPuck software, the real-time performance of elite athletes can be continuously monitored from start to finish. RunPuck generates specific running data for individual athletes and is a development not seen before within marathon sport. Thanks to a partnership with sports organisation Le Champion and title sponsor TCS, RunPuck will be officially deployed for the first time during the TCS Amsterdam Marathon.

The 46th edition of TCS Amsterdam Marathon will start at the Olympic Stadium at 9.00 hours on Sunday. The live broadcast begins at 8.50 hours and will be extra interesting for viewers this year. With data from RunPuck, followers at home will be taken through the ‘who, what, where’ of the elite race and the National Marathon Championship. Throughout the broadcast the distance covered, running speed, expected finish time and position of the runners can be shown on screen much more often and thus at key moments. Previously, this data could only be displayed at established km points through a chip mat. RunPuck now gives viewers more information and fills the gap where TV cameras sometimes cannot be at the same time.

Race director René Wit is immensely proud of this first at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon: “For our World Athletics Platinum Label marathon, implementing technological developments is one of our main focuses. With RunPuck’s live data, we can add a new dimension to the broadcast. It is the beginning of another step forward, our hope being that other marathons around the world will follow after our event.”

RunPuck was developed by Global Sports Communication, the sports management agency of Jos Hermens. “Our goal is to use RunPuck’s innovative technology to create a stronger connection between the race and the TV audience. We want to engage our viewers with real-time, data-driven insights so that they get a better understanding of the playing field and enjoy the race more. In the words of World Athletics President Sebastian Coe: You need to create a connection, and the key connection is understanding”, said Hermens.

As a forerunner in technology development and title sponsor of the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, Tata Consultancy Services joined as a partner in this first. Ashish Babu, CMO for Europe & UK, TCS: “As title sponsor, we have always tried to bring together relevant technology and innovative partners to enrich the experience for runners and spectators. These ranged from our official TCS Amsterdam Marathon Race app, to a virtual marathon with 3D sound experience during the coronavirus pandemic and, more recently, the ReScore app that helps track event sustainability. This year, we are immensely proud of this global first showing real-time data live on television. This will make watching the race even more fun and permanently change the sport of running.”

International live broadcast
The international elite race of the TCS Amsterdam Marathon will be broadcasted live in all continents of the world. The race can be viewed live in 190 countries via Europsport, L’Equipe 24, Discovery+, SuperSport Africa, Eurosport Asia, ESPN Sur and Flo Athletics. The race starts at 09.00 hours (Amsterdam local time).

More information on the event: www.tcsamsterdammarathon.eu