The new VAR Center will feature six state-of-the-art booths, each outfitted with EVS’s Xeebra system—an intuitive, FIFA- and FIBA-certified multi-camera review solution trusted across 13 sports worldwide. Xeebra enables officials to review action from multiple angles in perfect synchronization, with touchscreen controls that allow for precise zooming and slow-motion playback.

Peter Willems, CEO of the RBFA, emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership: “This investment represents a significant leap forward in our commitment to innovation and fairness in football. By centralizing our VAR operations with EVS’s Xeebra technology, we are equipping our referees with the most advanced tools available — ensuring more accurate decisions and reinforcing Belgian football’s position as a leader in integrity and technological excellence.”

Nicolas Bourdon, Chief Commercial Officer at EVS, added: "We’re proud to see Xeebra at the heart of Belgian football. This collaboration with the RBFA and EMG is a testament to our shared vision of delivering the highest standards in officiating through cutting-edge technology. And with access to the VAR Center for training and demonstrations, we’re excited to make Tubize a hub for VAR excellence in Europe."

Dirk Theunis, Managing Director - Belgium at EMG, commented: "We’re thrilled to bring our technical expertise to this project. Equipping the VAR Center with EVS’s Xeebra systems ensures that referees have the best tools available to make accurate and timely decisions. It’s a win for the game, the officials, and the fans."

The announcement was made during the SportsTech Belgium Summit, a key event showcasing the latest innovations in sports technology, hosted this year at the Proximus Basecamp.

With this initiative, the RBFA, EVS, and EMG are setting a new benchmark for video officiating in football—bringing world-class technology home to where it belongs. 

This chair aims to develop cutting-edge approaches in artificial intelligence (AI) for the automatic understanding of sports images and videos. Created with the support of EVS, it marks a significant milestone in the alliance between academic research and industry in the field of AI applied to sports media. Professor Cioppa, now a lecturer at the Montefiore Institute within ULiège’s Faculty of Applied Sciences, will lead the scientific direction of the chair.

A strategic partnership at the crossroads of sports, AI, and innovation

EVS, recognized globally for the quality of its broadcast images during the world’s most iconic events, has been integrating AI techniques into its solutions for nearly a decade. Among its flagship innovations:

•    Xeebra®, a multi-camera review system that uses AI for offside line placement
•    XtraMotion®, a replay effects solution that uses Generative AI to create super slow-motion replays without the need for high-frame-rate cameras, eliminate motion blur, and add a cinematic shallow depth-of-field effect

Building on this experience, EVS is strengthening its collaboration with ULiège to anticipate future uses of AI in sports.

High-impact research

In a context where the volume of sports video content is growing exponentially, automatic analysis tools are becoming essential. The chair will develop innovative solutions based on the following research areas:

1.    High-dimensional data perception: Extracting and interpreting semantic information from rich and complex data such as video, which combines spatial, temporal, and color dimensions.
2.    Long-form video understanding: Designing AI models capable of processing the full temporal scope of a video to extract relevant semantic information, even over long durations (e.g., a 90-minute football match).
3.    Memory in neural networks for video: Developing AI models that can model, organize, and efficiently use temporal memory to retain relevant context over long sequences.
4.    Multimodal combinations: Leveraging multiple data modalities—video, audio, and sensor signals—to enrich the understanding of sports.
5.    Generative AI: Plausibly generating missing information, such as new viewpoints, to offer immersive spectator experiences (e.g., watching the game from the field via a VR headset).

SoccerNet: a scientific and community catalyst

Anthony Cioppa is also co-founder of SoccerNet, the largest open-source video analysis dataset for sports. Launched in 2018, SoccerNet has become a global benchmark, bringing together top research teams from academia and industry through its annual SoccerNet Challenges.

Major disruptions ahead thanks to Artificial Intelligence

The rise of AI promises to revolutionize how sports are captured, analyzed, refereed, and experienced. Computer vision is becoming capable of recognizing player movements without markers or GPS, estimating ball position and depth from simple video, generating statistics or summaries in natural language, and even answering questions about controversial referee decisions.

EVS, a leader in live video technology for broadcast and new media productions, is proud to announce that it has received a multi-million euro order from Finepoint Broadcast Ltd., a long-standing partner and trusted provider of broadcast equipment solutions. Under this agreement, Finepoint has contracted EVS to deliver 25 XT-VIA® live production servers, further strengthening its commitment to offering cutting-edge technology to its customers worldwide.

With this investment, Finepoint Broadcast – a leading dry-hire service provider to the global broadcasting market – is replacing the last of its legacy XT3® servers and standardizing its fleet on EVS’s flagship XT-VIA platform. 

The XT-VIA server is a cornerstone of EVS’s LiveCeption® solution, offering unmatched speed, reliability, and scalability for live productions. It seamlessly integrates with the latest LSM-VIA® replay system and value-added tools like XtraMotion®, which uses generative AI to deliver advanced visual effects such as super slow-motion replays from any camera, cinematic shallow depth-of-field, and the elimination of motion blur. The EVS servers also deliver increased processing power and channel density, enabling more flexible super-motion setups and UHD productions. In addition, hybrid SDI/IP connectivity ensures smooth deployment in any environment, with full compliance to SMPTE 2110 standards for interoperability.

Finepoint and EVS have enjoyed a strong partnership for more than 25 years, and this latest agreement is a testament to the enduring trust and collaboration between the two companies.

Nicolas Bourdon, Chief Commercial Officer at EVS, added: “We’re proud of our long-term relationship with Finepoint Broadcast and deeply appreciate the continued trust they place in EVS. Their decision to expand their XT-VIA fleet reflects their forward-thinking approach and commitment to providing premium services to broadcasters worldwide.”

Facing the need to modernize its multiviewer infrastructure while maintaining cost efficiency, Game Creek Video sought a solution that would allow continued SDI operations while providing a seamless path to IP. EVS’s Neuron View was chosen for its ultra-fast processing, ease of configuration, and ability to function in both SDI and IP environments—ensuring Game Creek Video can transition at its own pace.

"Choosing EVS's Neuron View was a strategic decision for us," said Jason Taubman, Senior Vice President of Technology at Game Creek Video. "Its performance, flexibility, and ease of use align with our current workflows while keeping us ready for future IP transitions. Given our longstanding collaboration with EVS, we trust in their expertise and reliability."

Neuron View is designed to meet the high demands of live production environments, offering ultra-low latency, high operational efficiency, and seamless IP stream monitoring. The deployment of EVS’s multiviewers in these three trucks expands the company’s existing partnership with EVS, whose LiveCeption® replay and highlights solution is already a key component of Game Creek Video’s fleet.

"We’re honored that Game Creek Video has chosen EVS for this important technology upgrade," said Nestor Amaya, Senior Vice President of Customer Development, Media Infrastructure at EVS. "This collaboration highlights our growing role as a trusted provider of not just replay solutions, but also media infrastructure technology that helps broadcasters navigate the transition to IP."

MediaCeption will provide Al Jazeera with a unified workflow designed to efficiently manage and edit live and near-live news content. Each location will have the capability to ingest multiple live feeds, browse, edit, and share news packages from a centralized storage system, and seamlessly playout news as events unfold. The comprehensive solution from EVS includes XS-VIA® servers, the new media asset platform VIA MAP®, and the high-performance storage system XStore®. As a result, MediaCeption will enable faster content turnaround, reliable and stress-free operations, multi-site collaboration, and certified integration with tools from leading technology partners, including Avid Interplay and Media Composer, as well as Viz Mosart.

Commenting on the partnership, Ahmad Al Fahad, Executive Director of Technology & Network Operations at Al Jazeera Media Network, stated: “We are pleased to work with EVS to bring MediaCeption into our news production ecosystem. EVS’s proven track record of delivering fast and reliable solutions, combined with their global technical support presence, gives us the confidence to meet the challenges of modern news delivery."

Serge Van Herck, CEO of EVS, added: “We are honored to have been selected by Al Jazeera as their trusted partner for this transformative project. Al Jazeera is a longstanding and valued customer, and we are excited to deliver a solution that aligns perfectly with the demands of today’s fast-paced news production environment. This partnership highlights our commitment to innovation, reliability, and customer success, and we look forward to supporting Al Jazeera as they continue to set the standard in global news broadcasting.”

The solution is scheduled for installation in Q2, with Al Jazeera set to go on air with the new system in Q3 2025.

Both products, which expand MediaCeption®, EVS’s media asset management solution, have been engineered through the collaboration of EVS’s team members in Liège and Porto, following the company’s acquisition of MOG Technologies last year. They will be showcased for the first time at the NAB Show 2025 in Las Vegas at the EVS booth #SL3316 in the South Lower hall.

Move I/O – Streamlining media acquisition and delivery

Named after its ability to easily “Move Media In and Out” , Move I/O is a powerful baseband ingest and playback tool. The new addition to EVS’s MediaCeption solution family enables seamless media acquisition across multiple formats and resolutions. Key features include:

• Multi-format and multi-resolution support: Ensures compatibility across diverse workflows.
• Hybrid ingest capability: Supports SDI baseband and compressed IP streams (e.g., SRT, NDI, HLS) on the same server with dynamic resource allocation.
• Intuitive dashboard widgets: Operators can customize their experience and control multiple servers from a single web interface.
• Built-in scheduling: Simplifying ingest planning and streamlining operations.
• Comprehensive Avid integration: Direct check-in to Avid MediaCentral and standalone Media Composer support.
• Scalable deployment: Operates as a standalone server or in a multi-server group, on-premises or in the cloud.
• Multi-resolution playback: Quickly review your recordings in full resolution and organize playback seamlessly with intuitive playlists.

Move UP – Optimizing file-based ingest and transcoding

Move UP, reflecting its role in moving media “UP” through the transcoding process, enhances file-based ingest, transcoding and delivery workflows by eliminating the complexity of handling multiple formats, codecs, and frame rates. Key features include:

• Broad codec and format support: Ideal for broadcast, post-production, and OTT applications.
• Intuitive dashboard widgets: Operators can customize their experience and control multiple render nodes from a single web interface.
• Scalable render farm: Ensures high-performance media processing.
• Tight Avid integration: Seamless interopability with Avid Media Composer and MediaCentral for ingest and delivery workflows – browse MediaCentral catalogs including Avid sequences/master clips to create deliverables.
• Edit while ingest: Enables real-time access in Avid and Adobe.
• Advanced metadata management: Multi-configuration metadata enrichment.
• Automated workflows: Watch folders and REST API integration.
• Accelerated performance: CPU and GPU acceleration for high-resolution footage and complex formats.
• Flexible deployment: Deployable on-premises or in the cloud.

Designed for diverse production environments

Move I/O and Move UP cater to a wide range of production needs, including scripted and unscripted drama, corporate events, houses of worship, and newsroom production. With these additions, EVS continues to offer best-in-class media supply chain tools, empowering customers with greater choice and flexibility in their production workflows.

“Move I/O and Move UP deliver powerful, scalable, and intuitive ingest and transcoding capabilities, ensuring that media professionals can work more efficiently than ever,” adds Oscar Teran, EVP Markets & Solutions at EVS.

EVS, globally recognized as a leader in live video technology for broadcast and new media productions, will showcase the latest enhancements to its industry-leading multi-camera review system, Xeebra®, at NAB Show 2025 in Las Vegas. Xeebra has been specifically designed to empower sports officials with the tools they need to make the right call, providing a seamless and intuitive review experience.

With its proven reliability and superior quality, Xeebra enables officials to swiftly select and playback multiple camera angles in slow motion, all in perfect synchronization. The intuitive touchscreen interface allows users to zoom in with simple touch and pinch gestures for a more detailed analysis of the action. Built on the same robust technology as EVS's world-renowned live replay systems, Xeebra leverages decades of expertise in live sports broadcasting to provide officials with a trusted and reliable multi-camera review solution. FIFA and FIBA certified, the system is currently deployed across 13 different sports, including soccer, basketball, auto racing, cycling, rugby, sailing, and horseracing.

At NAB Show 2025, EVS will introduce several new features that enhance Xeebra's flexibility and performance. The latest version now supports SMPTE ST 2110, SRT (Secure Reliable Transport), and NDI (Network Device Interface) protocols, enabling greater interoperability and improved remote operations. Officials will also benefit from the ability to review more camera angles simultaneously, thanks to increased channel density that supports up to 16 channels in SDI, or 16 channels in SMPTE ST 2110 (100 Gbps), in Full HD resolution. This increased channel capacity allows for more angles to be reviewed simultaneously, enhancing the accuracy of decision-making.

One of the most exciting new features to be demonstrated at the NAB Show is the AI-assisted Video Offside Line (VOL), which dramatically speeds up the positioning of the offside line in soccer. By reducing the time needed to make crucial offside decisions, this AI-driven technology helps referees make the right call faster, ultimately improving the fan experience by ensuring fairer and more accurate rulings.

In addition to the advancements in Xeebra, EVS will also introduce Xeebra Insight, a lighter, more portable version of the system designed for coaching and medical staff. Xeebra Insight can be deployed on laptops and tablets, allowing teams to review and analyze action from multiple angles in real time. This innovation provides invaluable support in adapting game strategies and making critical on-field injury assessments, further expanding Xeebra's impact beyond officiating.

Systems integrators, service providers, sports league representatives, and members of the press attending NAB Show 2025 are invited to experience Xeebra firsthand at the EVS booth (#3316) in hall South Lower. Live demonstrations will showcase how Xeebra's latest features are helping professionals make faster, more accurate decisions, ultimately elevating the quality of competition across a wide range of sports.

EVS, leader in live video technology for broadcast and new media productions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Bevan Gibson as Executive Vice President of Sales & Operations for North America, effective February 1, 2025.

North America is one of the four strategic pillars in EVS’s growth plan, and this appointment underscores the company’s commitment to expanding its presence and strengthening its operations in the region. With Bevan’s extensive leadership experience, he is well-positioned to lead EVS’s North American hub and contribute to the company’s 2030 growth ambition.

Originally from Australia, Bevan brings over 20 years of leadership experience in the broadcast industry, having held key positions in major broadcast networks across Australia, the UK, the Middle East, and Europe, including the Seven Network, Sky News, Sky News Arabia, ITN, and service provider EMG. His expertise spans technology and operations, with roles such as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Head of Future Tech, and Chief Operating Officer (COO). Notably, he has the unique advantage of having been an EVS customer in his previous roles, giving him valuable insight into the needs and expectations of the company’s clients.

Bevan will lead the teams across EVS offices spanning the region and traveling throughout North America to engage with customers and stakeholders. In his role as EVP of Sales & Operations, he will oversee all regional activities, including Sales, Solutions Architecture, Business Development, Sales Operations, Technical Support, Project Management, Local Training, Finance, and Human Resources. He will report to Nicolas Bourdon, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).

Nicolas Bourdon, CCO of EVS, commented: "Investing in talent is at the heart of EVS’s strategy, and Bevan’s appointment reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening our presence in North America. As a key strategic pillar in our growth plan, the North American region requires strong leadership to elevate our daily operations and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Bevan’s deep industry expertise and hands-on experience make him the ideal person to drive our vision forward."

Bevan Gibson added: "I am honored to join EVS in this critical role and grateful to the leadership team for their trust. Having worked closely with EVS as a customer in my previous roles, I have always admired the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence. I am eager to accelerate EVS’s sustainable growth with a winning mindset, ensuring we continue to deliver top-tier solutions and services to our customers across North America."

This strategic appointment reinforces EVS’s dedication to expanding its footprint in North America while continuing to drive innovation and customer success.

Since its debut in 2021, XtraMotion has earned global recognition for its ability to create super slow-motion content from any camera using advanced generative AI. It has received several industry awards and is trusted by major networks and productions worldwide, spanning a diverse range of sports, including motorsports, basketball, rugby, and American football.

With this latest release, EVS takes its renowned slow-motion technology to another level. The new Deblur effect eliminates motion blur from fast-moving cameras for crystal-clear visuals, while the Cinematic effect simulates shallow depth of field for a film-like aesthetic. Offered under a single license, these effects give sports broadcasters more creative possibilities to enhance the visual impact of key moments during live action. 

This latest release also sets a new standard in speed, reducing the processing time to less than three seconds for applying the super slow-motion effect, even when paired with the deblur feature. This is a major breakthrough that enables production teams to seamlessly integrate their enhanced replays into live broadcasts without disrupting the flow of the action.

Seamlessly integrated into EVS’s LiveCeption® replay and highlights solution, the operational workflow for XtraMotion 3.0 remains intuitive and efficient. Operators can trigger the application of the chosen effect directly from the LSM-VIA® remote controller, with a single click on a shortcut button. This streamlined process lets teams stay focused on delivering their stories without adding complexity to live event operations.

By using generative AI to convert standard footage into super slow-motion, deblurred, or cinematic-style clips, XtraMotion reduces the reliance on specialized cameras traditionally required to achieve such effects. This not only cuts production costs but also encourages creative experimentation, enabling crews to explore unique camera angles and innovative storytelling techniques. 

“With its full suite of creative effects, XtraMotion 3.0 truly showcases how generative AI can be used in live production to engage audiences in a more immersive way,” said Jan Mokallai, VP Live Production Solutions at EVS. “We’re excited to offer a tool that delivers exceptional speed and quality while remaining cost-effective, enabling sports broadcasters of all sizes to create high-impact, professional-grade content that engages viewers on another level.”

EVS is thrilled to announce its recognition as a Top Employer® for the third consecutive year by the Top Employers Institute, a globally renowned authority certifying excellence in working conditions. This prestigious certification places EVS among a distinguished group of 89 Belgian companies celebrated for their outstanding people practices.

Pierre Matelart, EVS’ Chief People Officer, attributed the achievement to the company’s commitment to creating an engaging and supportive workplace culture. “Ensuring high engagement levels among our team members and pursuing excellence with a winning mindset are the cornerstones of our success. These principles not only foster a thriving workplace but also enable us to deliver exceptional customer success,” he said.

Dounia Czorniak, Deputy Chief People Officer and leader of EVS’s ESG strategy, emphasized the role of passion in the company’s mission. “Passion is one of our core values and a driving force behind our achievements. It inspires our team to continuously innovate and excel. Our mission of creating return on emotion for billions of viewers globally is deeply rooted in this passion, and it energizes us to make a meaningful impact every day,” she stated.

This continued recognition reflects EVS’s dedication to fostering a workplace where employees thrive and are empowered to contribute to the company’s pursuit of innovation and excellence. With initiatives such as advanced training programs, anonymous feedback surveys, and working groups addressing key themes like diversity and inclusion, EVS remains steadfast in its efforts to lead in people-first practices.

EVS maintains an attrition rate below 10%, a remarkable figure in the IT industry where companies often experience rates up to 18%. And the company’s latest survey resulted in an impressive Net Promoter Score of 68, which implies that over 90% of team members would recommend EVS as a workplace to their acquaintances. These metrics underscore EVS’s unwavering commitment to its team members.

About Top Employer Institute

Top Employers Institute is the global authority on recognising excellence in People Practices. Through its Certification Programme, it validates and certifies organisations that excel in fostering a better working world. Established over 30 years ago, Top Employers Institute has certified over 2,000 organisations in 121 countries/regions, impacting the lives of more than 9.5 million employees globally.