  Sports data analysis is becoming increasingly large-scale, diversified, and
shared, but difficulty persists in rapidly accessing the most crucial
information. Previous surveys have focused on the methodologies of sports video
analysis from the spatiotemporal viewpoint instead of a content-based
viewpoint, and few of these studies have considered semantics. This study
develops a deeper interpretation of content-aware sports video analysis by
examining the insight offered by research into the structure of content under
different scenarios. On the basis of this insight, we provide an overview of
the themes particularly relevant to the research on content-aware systems for
broadcast sports. Specifically, we focus on the video content analysis
techniques applied in sportscasts over the past decade from the perspectives of
fundamentals and general review, a content hierarchical model, and trends and
challenges. Content-aware analysis methods are discussed with respect to
object-, event-, and context-oriented groups. In each group, the gap between
sensation and content excitement must be bridged using proper strategies. In
this regard, a content-aware approach is required to determine user demands.
Finally, the paper summarizes the future trends and challenges for sports video
analysis. We believe that our findings can advance the field of research on
content-aware video analysis for broadcast sports.
