Levels Beyond, a leading innovator in video library management and workflow software, has announced it will manage Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) entire worldwide video production workflow using Levels Beyond’s Reach Engine software platform.

A key element of this transition will be the digital migration of UFC’s entire 19-year content library, consisting of 30,000+ hours of content, for vastly improved content archiving, access and production around live MMA bouts.

“Levels Beyond demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the production and distribution challenges we face in delivering the sport of MMA to multiple distribution points in the U.S. and in 130+ foreign territories. Their Reach Engine software platform delivers the flexibility, speed and overall performance required of both our demanding production crews and hugely varied technical requirements of worldwide distribution outlets,” said Christy King, Director of New Media and Technology for Zuffa, LLC, owner of the UFC brand.

In addition to a global Pay Per View TV platform, UFC has a new home on Fox Sports Media Group, which includes FOX, FOX Deportes, FX, Fuel TV, Speed and all of FOX’s regional sports networks. This partnership will require original programming output of 350 hours this year, up from the 90 hours aired in 2011.

“Levels Beyond’s Reach Engine platform is specifically engineered to manage the aggressive live and archived content demands of companies like UFC. Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world, requiring the most efficient production and distribution of content to UFC’s global footprint. The Reach Engine production workflow for UFC has become the blueprint for every sports network, rights holder and league channel, along with any major event producer. Levels Beyond finally allows media assets to meet up with the demands of 21st century business models, going beyond what exists today,” said Art Raymond, Chief Executive Officer of Levels Beyond.

UFC needs to access its live and archived content on the fly in a myriad of venues, and push it to any partner or viewing device. Previously, this time consuming process required editors to carry knowledge of thousands of hours of video in their heads, and then repeatedly upload content to finite ‘working storage’ drives, only to be deleted again when storage ran low. Now editors, production and distribution partners can use the Levels Beyond Reach Engine web interface to find and retrieve footage. This functionality allowed UFC to save hundreds of thousands of dollars by not having to install tape machines, tape libraries, and patch systems in edit bays in its newest production facility in Las Vegas. These savings also include much needed efficiencies in distribution to existing technology partners, as well as enabling new revenue opportunities by outputting content to Xbox, Hulu, iTunes, worldwide broadcast partners and other emerging OTT partners.

“During the course of two years, we looked at several media workflow configuration product ideas on the market. Ultimately we found deep experiential understanding and dedication from the development team at Levels Beyond. Their Reach Engine is thoughtfully designed to handle rapid-fire technology changes in today’s production and distribution environments. By working closely with Levels Beyond to fully develop their software, we have realized our vision of efficiently delivering the most entertaining mixed martial arts programming to virtually any viewing platform, anywhere in the world, firmly establishing UFC as the premier MMA sports destination and a leader in sports TV production technology,” King added.

Levels Beyond’s Reach Engine is the foundation of a multi-vendor video production environment, integrating the industry’s leaders in content editing, transcoding, and delivery solutions to create a seamless automated workflow process. With Reach Engine, video professionals can access any media in any storage location, whether a raw or completed asset, across an enterprise. Compatible with all major digital content creation hardware and software, Reach Engine’s focus on integration and open standards allows media organizations to meet the demands of the rapidly changing media landscape.

by Ismail Uddin

Sir Clive Woodward, former Rugby World Cup winning coach with England  in 2003, has ruled out a return to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) despite being widely tipped to take up the vacant elite performance director role at the body.

In rejecting the proposed comeback, Woodward has opted to stay on in his role as British Olympic Association (BOA) Director of Sport and Team GB Deputy Chef de Mission, despite holding informal talks with the RFU about a possible return.

Woodward released a statement, saying: “Since the Rugby Football Union announced its restructuring plan late last year, there has been considerable speculation that I might return to the RFU.

“With the full knowledge of Colin Moynihan [BOA chairman] and Andy Hunt [BOA chief executive and London 2012 Chef de Mission], I have had informal conversations regarding the role of Performance Director with senior figures at the RFU.

“However, I have not participated in a formal interview for this position at any stage in the RFU process.

“From the outset I had made it clear to both Colin and Andy that I would only attend a formal interview with their full knowledge.

“I would like to express my thanks for their understanding over this situation and also for their considered views which have been greatly appreciated.

“In order to prevent any further speculation and in the interests of both the BOA and RFU I would like to formally confirm that I will not be attending any interviews for this position.

“I am totally committed to my role as Director of Sport at the British Olympic Association and Deputy Chef de Mission for Team GB in London 2012.

“We have an historic opportunity ahead, when more than 500 of Britain’s most accomplished Olympic athletes will represent Team GB, at home, in the London 2012 Games.

“May I wish the RFU all the best in its search to find the appropriate candidate for this very important role for English rugby going forward.”

BOA chairman Moynihan revealed his relief at the news, saying: “Clive’s decision to forgo possible opportunities with the RFU and remain with the British Olympic Association is welcome news for Team GB.

“As we work to provide British athletes and their NGBs with the highest levels of service and support in connection with their participation in major international Games, the work Clive and his sport team are doing is critical.

“British athletes can be confident in knowing that Clive and his team are working in close partnership with performance directors, coaches and other leaders throughout British sport to find and deliver the crucial, difference-making innovations and services that will help underpin their continued success in the international arena.”

Hunt added: “We are now in the critical phase of our planning and preparation for Team GB in London 2012 and I am delighted to know Clive will continue making important contributions to those efforts as a member of our Delegation Leadership Team and as our Director of Sport.

“Clive understands exactly what it takes to deliver under intense pressure.

“He has been successful in converting years of planning and preparation into success on the field of play.

“He is a highly respected voice in our preparation and I am proud to have him as a member of our team and as one of our Deputy Chefs de Mission.”

A Rio engineering consult has made contradictory statements to organising chief of the 2014 World Cup Ricardo Teixeira, urging President Dilma Rousseff to take decisive steps for the sake of the World Cup but, more, for the sake of the country.

Jose Roberto Bernasconi agrees with FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s opinion that the preparations of the event are going very slowly.

Blatter’s criticism of Brazil’s World Cup preparations are reported to have persuaded Teixeira – head of the Brazilian federation and a powerful FIFA exco member – to turn against his old ally and FIFA presidential candidate Mohammed bin Hammam.

One of Blatter’s criticisms was of a lack of co-operation between Brazil’s federal and regional governments which was angrily denied by Teixeira. However, the intervention of Bernasconi – boss of the influential construction analyst Sinaenco – supports Blatter against Teixeira.

He says: “It is three years four months since Brazil was awarded the World Cup, a long time. In fact, we are at the halfway point to the finals and, unhappily, a long way from even having preparation work half-completed both for the Cup and to leave a positive legacy for Brazilian society.”

He said he had come to this conclusion on the basis of detailed research his company had undertaken of all the major football stadia throughout Brazil. He expressed particular concern about stadia delays in Natal and, especially, São Paulo which is due to host the Opening Match.

He concluded: “When responsibility for hosting the World Cup was accepted by former President Lula he was committing the nation to fulfil its duty not only to FIFA but to all Brazilians and to the billions of fans around the world whose attention will be focused on Brazil in 2014.

“On taking over, our current President undertook to follow through the responsibilities assumed in the name of the country by her predecessor.

“This is why it is fundamental that the President takes personal charge of the preparatory work relating to both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympoic Games in Rio de Janeiro.”

After listeners outside of the UK had suddenly been restricted from hearing coverage of the London 2012 Olympics, try the BBC and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have reached an agreement lifting the ban and allowing the coverage to be streamed.

With the Summer Games under way in London, sales shows including Radio 4?s popular Today Programme and Radio 2?s The Chris Evans Breakfast Show are being broadcast from inside the Olympic park, erectile and since the IOC holds the international broadcast rights to all media inside of Olympic venues, access to the shows by fans outside of the host nation was prohibited.

Fortunately for those fans, the ban was partially lifted following discussions between the BBC and IOC, with only programs containing a substantial amount of Olympics content now being subject to restriction. In some cases, BBC News reports, when only segments of a show are broadcast from an Olympic site, those segments may be blocked to international audiences while the remainder of the show still being accessible.

Deltatre, adiposity a sports media company, impotent has won a 9 year contract from the BBC to develop, generic build and host an internal event scheduling system with a main emphasis on London 2012.

With a primary focus on London 2012, the system, will enable staff across the BBC to view sports schedule data and help teams with the planning and operation of large scale events and broadcast productions.

“deltatre has developed bespoke business applications for some of the biggest global Sports Federations over many years, so we have the know-how to help large corporations enhance internal productivity,” explained Hugo Sharman, director of deltatre media North, formerly of Fast Web Media.

“With the complexity and magnitude of the Games, the importance of well organised, effective communication across departments has never been more important. deltatre are providing multiple technology services for the BBC prior to and during the London Games, so we are perfectly placed to help develop their delicate internal workflows.”

During the Olympics, the system will receive and manage feeds, including the broadcaster data feed, vision and audio coming into the International Broadcast Centre (IBC). BBC staff will then be able to deploy commentators to venues, work out transmission plans for broadcast and online and book equipment and recording machines at the IBC.

by Ismail Uddin

The English Football Association’s (FA) marketing and communications director Julian Eccles has resigned from his post after little more than a year in the role.

Eccles was hired by former FA chief executive Ian Watmore after spells at both Ofcom and BSkyB.

FA general secretary Alex Horne said in a statement: “Julian Eccles has resigned from his post as director of marketing and communications at the FA with immediate effect.

“I would like to thank Julian for his contribution to the FA and wish him well for the future. He has been very professional throughout his time here and I am grateful to him for introducing a number of valuable initiatives and ideas to the organisation.

“Details of how the FA will manage the functions within communications, marketing and public affairs will be communicated in due course. The FA will not be making any further comment at this time.”

Eccles resignation comes during a turbulent period at the FA, starting with Watmore’s resignation in March last year before ex-chairman Lord Triesman resigned from his posts at the FA and England 2018 exactly one year ago yesterday, after a newspaper published a transcript of a conversation where he repeated gossip about rival World Cup bids.

After England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup failed in dramatic fashion the acting chairman Roger Burden ruled himself out of a permanent position, claiming he could no longer work alongside FIFA. That was followed by the appointment of a new chairman in David Bernstein whose short reign at the FA has been a busy one after the announcement of a Parliamentary inquiry into soccer governance.

After FIFA president Sepp Blatter again criticised the slow pace of preparations for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, denture the president of the 2014 FIFA World Cup organising committee Ricardo Teixeira tried to play down fears that stadia at Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo could miss out on staging games during the tournament.

Blatter said on Monday that Brazil’s preparations were “not progressing very quickly” and warned that the venues in Brazil’s two largest cities were running the risk of not being involved at the 2013 Confederations Cup, the official warm-up tournament for the World Cup.

However Teixeira, Brazilian Football Confederation chief, insisted he had been guaranteed by the state of Rio that the famed Maracana stadium, which is due to host the World Cup final, was scheduled to meet its reconstruction deadline.

With regard to the Sao Paulo stadium, a project for which local club Corinthians is still looking for private investors, he added: “We have the guarantee from those involved that it will also be delivered in time.”

Work on almost all of the 12 World Cup venues in the country is thought to be behind schedule, while there are also concerns over improvement work at airports in Brazil.

USL Pro team Oklahoma City Energy FC have announced today that respected local businessman Tim McLaughlin has joined the management team as an equal partner with Bob Funk Jr.

The partnership represents a major step towards uniting the Oklahoma City soccer community and strengthens Prodigal’s commitment to bring top level professional soccer to Oklahoma City including a potential Major League Soccer team in the years ahead.

“We’re pleased to have Tim join OKC Energy FC as an equal partner, order ” said Prodigal owner Bob Funk Jr. “His passion for the continued success of Oklahoma City and its citizens is unmatched. By uniting our efforts, drugs it brings us another step closer to our shared vision of bringing a Major League Soccer (MLS) team to Oklahoma City in the future.”

“I’m looking forward with great enthusiasm to working with Bob Funk Jr. and OKC Energy FC to unite the soccer community in Oklahoma City, pills ” said McLaughlin. “The professionalism of Bob Jr. and his staff along with the strength of the league and their partnership with MLS and Sporting KC attracted me to partner with them. I am excited about what we can do together for soccer and Oklahoma City.”

Beginning in early April 2014, OKC Energy FC begins practicing on the campus of Oklahoma City University. OKC Energy FC will compete during the 2014 season at Pribil Stadium on the campus of Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School. The following Spring, OKC Energy FC will begin playing at the re-modeled and historic Taft Stadium, currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation. As part of the lease with Taft Stadium, $2 of every soccer ticket sold will benefit Fields & Futures.

“We greatly appreciate the very generous donation from Tim McLaughlin as part of the Fields & Futures program for rebuilding the vintage Taft Stadium into a modern facility for Oklahoma City Public Schools events and pro soccer,” said interim OKC Public Schools Superintendent Dave Lopez. “The joint efforts of Bob Funk Jr. and Mr. McLaughlin to bring professional soccer to our community also deserve applause.”

“Soccer’s popularity continues to soar, not only nationally but also in our community,” said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. “This is a great time to bring professional soccer to Oklahoma City and lay the foundation for a possible Major League Soccer team in a few years. Oklahoma City has always been at its best with people pulling on the same rope. We appreciate the shared vision of Bob Jr. and Tim to introduce professional soccer to our community and commend them for working together to make it happen.”