TOKYO – The Japan Deaf Football Association has been conducting a crowdfunding campaign to livestream all soccer matches of the Tokyo Deaflympics which opened Saturday.
Although only a limited number of matches are scheduled to be shown on the official YouTube channel, the association hopes to expand coverage using funds from the campaign, which runs until around Nov. 20 and has already raised more than its target of 1.5 million yen ($9,800).
Soccer matches started on Friday at J-Village in Naraha, Fukushima Prefecture. The Japanese men’s team, which placed second in the 2023 world championships and won the Asia-Pacific Deaf Games last year, is considered a strong medal contender.
According to the association, only matches held on the main field are shown on the official YouTube channel, which uses a single fixed camera. The final match is planned to feature multiangle coverage, play-by-play commentary and sign language interpretation.
Using the funds that have exceeded the target, the association hopes to increase multi-angle streaming coverage, which will enable viewers to better experience the atmosphere of the matches including players’ expressions and sign language communication.
Takayoshi Nakamura, head of player development for the association, said he hopes that more people will recognize the dedication of athletes participating in the Deaflympics and learn more about deaf sports.
AloJapan.com