The Australian Open has found an ingenious workaround for licensing conflicts on its YouTube livestream. The solution? Animated players. The tennis tournament has replaced iconic sports stars with custom avatars that mimic their movements using mocap technology and I daresay I enjoy it more than the real deal.
Admittedly it's a little silly but there's something endearing about the animated character design – think Wii Sports Tennis: Pro Edition. While I don't expect this animated overlay to catch on (it could get quite messy with contact sports for example), it's a playful way to make the game accessible to viewers across the world.
