FOX’s studio for the World Cup in Qatar is a thing to see.
For Russia 2018, FOX spent lavishly on a multi-million dollar set in Red Square, Moscow. Similarly, FOX Sports have spent several million dollars on its new set, which aims to be a constant image in the minds of fans watching the World Cup this November and December.
FOX studio for World Cup looks spectacular
The FOX Sports World Cup studio is a mix of physical, hard desks as well as virtual graphics. Executive producer David Neal described it in more detail, in a recent interview with Sports Video Group:
“The practice pitch is a giant LED screen. To the viewer, it will look like a piece of grass.
“But the set has physical attributes to it. It has pieces which will accurately reflect the culture and architecture of Qatar, and that part of the world. So those pieces will actually come across better if they’re there rather than being virtually there. It’s a blend. It’s a hybrid.”
Neal went on to describe the area where the studio is:
“We’re going to be right next to the Fan Fests that are in the area. It gives us a beautiful view of the Corniche, which is the ultra-modern skyline there.
“It won’t be instantly recognizable, but as the days go on through the tournament, it will be in our viewer’s minds.”
Overall, despite the beauty of the set, it’s a shame that FOX Sports are going to be using it to broadcast what is essentially an infomercial for Qatar during the World Cup. According to the lead executive responsible for FOX’s coverage of World Cup 2022, he plans to avoid discussing any of the human rights abuses or lack of freedoms that are intricate to Qatar.
“We can focus more on bringing the country [of Qatar] to life,” added Neal.
