How Kiswe’s CloudCast Created 28 Open-Source Broadcasts with the Help of CrossFit’s Community

Ever since it became possible to stream video anywhere, many international federations and other sports rights owners have faced a frustrating challenge: creating and delivering relevant content for global audiences who have different wants and needs. 

However, the emergence of cloud-based remote production solutions has changed all of that by empowering local voices and commentators to change the narrative of the original live broadcast. Cloud-based technology enables rights holders to scale a single broadcast into many alternate narrowcasts that serve their superfan communities and in turn present new monetization opportunities. 

CrossFit is one of the first sports rights owners to seize this new approach of sports broadcasting and use CloudCast to activate its wide-reaching community. 

CrossFit is a prominent brand in the fitness industry with more than 15,000 locations worldwide. Launched in 2007, the CrossFit Games is the world’s premier test to find the fittest athletes in the world and has become “one of the fastest-growing sports in America,” according to Forbes. Anyone who’s at least 14 years old can sign up and join in the first stage of the CrossFit Games season. The Games were broadcast live on ESPN from 2011-2016, and on CBS and Facebook from 2017-2018. They were also edited into international episodes with 18 different broadcasters airing the taped shows in their native languages. 

Beginning in 2011, CrossFit additionally self-produced the live coverage seen on ESPN+, CBSSports.com, YouTube, Facebook, and other websites. The metrics were enough to rank the CrossFit Games as a top-performing sports partner for Facebook, with remarkable levels of engagement and average view durations. However, two factors were becoming major concerns: the combined high costs for producing televised and digital content, and the Games appearing in English only, despite more than half of their affiliated gyms being located outside the US. 

Recognizing this, CrossFit partnered with Kiswe Mobile to formulate an open-source broadcast strategy versus the one-to-many approach employed by the vast majority of sports broadcasters. They worked with Kiswe’s CloudCast platform to produce and distribute their live feed and super-serve the many CrossFit communities and fan bases around the world. 

to learn more about CloudCast – please contact: Peter Dunits – Senior Sales Manager – Kiswe Mobile Europe – peter.dunits@kiswe.com

Community-Based Production 

This was a very bold decision by CrossFit to produce only a single world feed without any commentary, and invite stakeholders from their passionate community to create and distribute their own broadcasts – and the community responded enthusiastically. The media outlets, sponsors, athletes and fans not only helped distribute the content, but also made it more localized and authentic for the different CrossFit audiences around the world in local languages. Imagine taking an event and transforming it into different narratives tailored to different audiences–all from a single live feed? 

Watch Kiswe’s video at iSportconnect TV 

Broadcast Quality 

CrossFit and Kiswe partnered together to make CloudCast available to their global community and the results have been a game-changer. By using CloudCast, CrossFit was able to create a professional live feed of the CrossFit Games that exceeded broadcast standards and could be leveraged by the many media outlets around the world. CrossFit set no limit on the casters themselves, as long as the content was not placed behind a paywall, and allowed them to choose whatever channel, social network or platform they desired. CloudCast was an extremely cost-effective way to create multiple narratives and easy to use because it required no incremental equipment, no special knowledge, and only very limited training–truly empowering the commentators to provide their own narrative. 

There were 28 additional original broadcasts created by the remote teams over the four days of the CrossFit Games: produced locally at far-flung locations in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew, French, German and Icelandic. 

In the weeks leading up to the event, Kiswe on-boarded 71 remote casters and 29 remote production crews globally to create the content. The casters ranged in expertise from professional broadcast teams and networks, to popular local influencers and even a handful of enthusiastic fans. 

Increasing Output 

The source content (provided from CrossFit in Madison, Wisconsin) to the CloudCast team totaled 2,040 minutes. The remote teams ended up creating nearly 43,000 of user-facing content minutes from that original stream, from 29 locations all over the world. 

Throughout the competition, the operation was supporting the creation of 25-28 original broadcasts per day. Normally, that volume of broadcasts would require a host broadcaster to transport up to 100 people to the event, or send satellite feeds all over the world to control rooms that would need to be paid for and dedicated to create each unique stream. 

However, no satellites were used to move content from the American source to each of the 29 destinations. Nor were any new control rooms required, although several outlets supplemented the world feed with studio content and highlight shows before and after the competition. This was true remote production in the cloud: enabling connections with people around the world 

Millions Of Daily Views 

The viewership figures speak for the quality of the results. 

Each day, the CrossFit Games content published on just YouTube and Facebook alone totaled in the range of two million views. Peak concurrent viewership was at least 250,000 viewers and average view durations exceeded 24 minutes, 

proving the quality engagement of the community. If there was one downside, it was that with nearly 30 different outlets and end points–many from different countries (including China)–aggregating viewership stats became more challenging, but worthwhile for making the leap from one language to ten in a single year. 

The CrossFit community showcased a powerful way that global audiences can authentically connect over live events when given the right tools. We expect to see other sports broadcasters and rights holders explore new opportunities in customizing and personalizing live broadcasts to meet the needs across their different audience segments.

Tottenham Hotspur Announce HSBC As Official Banking Partner

Tottenham Hotspur have announced that HSBC will become their official banking partner for the UK and Hong Kong.

The club has signed a five-year deal with the bank that will cover both the men’s and women’s teams.

HSBC will now work with the Club to engage fans through a range of activities including co-created digital campaigns and play a supportive role in the sport-led regeneration of the local area in Tottenham, north London, alongside the Club.

Fran Jones, Head of Partnerships at Tottenham Hotspur, said: “HSBC will work with the Club to engage fans through a range of activities including co-created digital campaigns and play a supportive role in the sport-led regeneration of the local area in Tottenham, north London, alongside the Club.”

HSBC Global Head of Brand Partnerships Jonathan Castleman said: “The deal provides us with an opportunity to connect with new and existing customers. We’ve always believed that sport has an amazing power to bring people together, promote physical and mental wellbeing and drive inclusion, so we are excited to be working with Tottenham Hotspur.”

West Ham Launch eSports Partnership With Bundled

West Ham and Bundled have signed a two-year eSports partnership that will begin at the commencement of the 2019-20 FIFA season.

The Hammers have also signed two new eSports players to their squad ahead of the new campaign.

Of the Premier League teams, West Ham were the first side to sign an eSports player three years ago and this is another progressive move into the world of gaming by the football club.

Bundled provides various services in the field of eSports, from organising gaming events, to creating innovative digital content, coaching and performance management of professional esports players. The eSports agency also represents the interests of over 30 professional FIFA esports players, including Yago and Jas, and works alongside other professional football teams.

West Ham’s Digital and Commercial Director, Karim Virani, said: “The Club has always been proactive and one of the pioneers in the eSports arena, and this partnership is another step on our journey.

“Bundled is a forward-thinking, dynamic company who are passionate about the eSports space, and will help us to continue to grow and be one of the leading Premier League clubs going into this FIFA season and beyond.”

Melvyn Wolthers, Managing Director Bundled, added: “West Ham is a very well-known club worldwide with a fantastic fanbase. To have been given this opportunity is very special. We are looking forward to two exciting years and to create some special moments with the club and its fans.”

The Jockey Club Unveil Alzheimer’s Society As New Charity Partner

Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading dementia charity, has been announced as The Jockey Club’s new official charity partner.

This new two-year partnership will aid Alzheimer’s Society by increasing the company’s awareness and raising money to help benefit the charity’s work.

The charity will also work with The Jockey Club to become more dementia friendly, including rolling out the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme. With over three million Dementia Friends already and over 400 dementia friendly communities, the programme is transforming the way the nation thinks, acts and talks about the condition.

Paul Fisher, Chief Executive of Jockey Club Racecourses and Chairman of The Jockey Club’s Charity Committee, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Alzheimer’s Society into The Jockey Club family and really excited about how we can work together over the next two years.

“It was quickly apparent that Alzheimer’s Society would be an outstanding charity partner for us. The charity works tirelessly to improve research into dementia and the people affected by it while also enabling people living with the condition to stay connected.

“We can help those people in our local areas by making them feel welcome at our racecourses. Because there are Alzheimer’s Society local support services close to each of our 15 courses we can liaise directly on a local level, as well as lasting education for employees and customers beyond the partnership period.

“What was particularly striking to learn was that while 52% of the UK’s population will be affected by Alzheimer’s in their lifetime, for every £1 currently spent on research into dementia, £7 is spent on cancer research. We’re especially keen to help them raise not only funds but also awareness wherever and whenever we can.”

Sinéad Donoghue, Head of Corporate Partnerships, Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Alzheimer’s Society is delighted to be uniting against dementia with The Jockey Club. Nearly one million people are living with dementia in the UK, and someone develops the condition every three minutes.

“With this new partnership, we will be able to raise vital funds for critical research and support services, making that all-important difference to people affected by dementia. Dementia can cause many changes, but people still love to engage with the same hobbies. We will be supporting The Jockey Club to become more dementia friendly across its sites, ensuring that people affected by the condition can continue to enjoy the sport they love.”

SportAccord President Highlights Sport’s Global Impact at High-Profile Russian Summit

Raffaele Chiulli, the President of SportAccord and the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), believes sport should have a “bold vision”.

Speaking alongside Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, at the Country of Sports International Forum in Russia yesterday, Dr Chiulli spoke on a panel about ‘Development of Sport in Integration with the World Community’.

He was an expert in a discussion moderated by Pavel Kolobkov, Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation. Dr Chiulli and his fellow panellists discussed a range of vital issues, including how sport can be used as a unifying principle in the modern world, sport’s principles as the basis for harmonious human development, and the ‘Sport for All’ concept of promoting the role of a healthy lifestyle as a factor in the successful social and economic development of countries.

Dr Chiulli, who is also President of the International Powerboating Federation (UIM) and the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF), highlighted the importance of “opportunity, accessibility and sustainability” in helping to improve sports participation levels.

“For many members of GAISF, this means we must not be afraid to take sport out of the traditional stadiums and into the streets,” Dr Chiulli said. “Our role at GAISF is to be the United Voice of Sports. Together, we have 125 members, which is much more powerful than one International Sport Federation on its own. Together, we can share best practice and improve sport globally, and together we can solve and reverse the issue of declining participation.”

In underlining the need for a collaborative approach, Dr Chiulli added: “We are always stronger when we stand together and, ultimately, this is the only way we can all learn from each other. Of course, it is not enough simply to bring people together. We must develop tools for learning and sharing. We must have a programme of activities that makes us think and react. As with any change, it is important to bring together all the main actors around a bold vision.”

After the Forum, President Chiulli was amongst an exclusive group of international sports executives invited to meet with the President of the Russian Federation to discuss how to shape the future of sport.

Dr Chiulli will provide the Opening Address at SportAccord’s upcoming International Federation (IF) Forum 2019 from 28-30 October 2019 in Lausanne. The IF Forum 2019 Programme will focus on ‘Athlete Centred Sport’.

The next edition of the annual SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit will take place from 19-24 April 2020 in Beijing, China.

 

Sportradar Acquires Optima

Sportradar has announced it has acquired sports betting and gaming platform business Optima.

Optima will extend Sportradar’s current betting services portfolio to become a full service B2B data, betting, trading and player management platform business.

As a key part of Sportradar’s future growth strategy, the company will now offer the entire betting and gaming value chain in both established and emerging markets as they regulate.

Sportradar have ensured that all current and future partnerships with any sportsbook ‘will remain unaffected’ and bookmakers will continue to be able to utilise sportradar’s services to their third-party or in-house platforms.

Carsten Koerl, Chief Executive Officer of Sportradar, said: “This acquisition puts us in prime position to achieve our aim of becoming the world’s leading supplier of modular turnkey betting services and solutions. Optima utilizes the very best-in-breed technology to provide their clients with the most advanced and flexible platforms and having a 360-degree product portfolio is a key part of our future growth strategy. We are delighted to welcome them to the Sportradar family.

Optima’s Chief Executive Officer, Jacob Lopez, commented: “Optima joining Sportradar is the next natural step in the achievement of our company vision.  Sportradar is an organization that I have admired for a very long time, and we couldn’t be happier to be joining forces with them.”

IMG Arena AND UFC Launch UFC’s First-Ever Official Live Betting Products

IMG Arena and UFC have announced they will be launching UFC Event Centre, a brand new sports betting product that will provide a host of new opportunities for live betting during fights at UFC events.

It will use UFC’s official data feed and make UFC Event Centre globally available with licensed partnerships between the organisation and both sportsbooks and gaming operators, of which there are currently more than 300.

UFC Event Centre becomes the first sports betting company created specifically for a major sports brand. This new product creates more features and markets for UFC events than any betting product previously available.

Features include:

  • Live In-Round Betting for Every UFC Event Globally
  • Official Data Delivery in Less than Two Seconds
  • Immediate Bet Settlement
  • Live Betting Data Points
  • Live Statistics
  • Fighter / Event Details
  • Mobile-First Design
  • 3D Visualizations of Live UFC Action

“The UFC Event Centre and its official data feed will be a game changer for how UFC fans engage with our events through sportsbooks and gaming operators,” said UFC President Dana White. “We have the most passionate, die-hard fans of any sport, and they’re going to love the option to place bets live during a fight. Betting operators are also going to love this product because, unlike other sports, UFC has no offseason. The action will be non-stop for fans and sportsbook operators.”

Freddie Longe, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of IMG ARENA, said: “The UFC brand is extremely powerful and already resonates strongly with the key demographics of global sports betting consumers. Through this partnership with UFC, we have been able to develop official products that will help unlock significant value for both UFC and our global sports betting partners.”

Announcement: iSportconnect Partners With 3D Digital Venue

iSportconnect is excited to announce a brand new partnership with global stadium platform 3D Digital Venue.

3D Digital Venue provides Interactive Digital Venue Management Solutions to Sports and Entertainment Venues worldwide (whether already built or new construction). They offer solutions that provide a precise and interactive re-creation of the arena or stadium to deliver a greater fan purchasing experience, increasing the online conversion rate or product inventory.

The content is distributed via widgets and it is integrated into any digital channel of the Club, Event or Competition, improving the online purchasing experience for complex products.

One of the main features of the 3D Digital Venue platform is to allow users to select any location and allow them to virtually sit first person in the seat of their choice. This feature will enhance both the frontend of the ticketing platform and offer a portal of renewals and relocation to members, with customized business rules.

It will promote the online sale of VIP products, allowing the relocation of members on refurbishment or new construction projects several months before its execution, and the digital activation of brands embedded in the digital content are other value-added services of the 3D Digital Venue Platform.

3D Digital Venue Is currently integrated into sports entities and competitions in 17 countries across 4 continents.

In Europe it has a wide presence in La Liga, the Premier League and Serie A. In the USA it is present in the main professional leagues (NBA, MLS, NHL and MLB) and Universities. The Middle East, Australia and Japan are emerging markets where the platform has already various integrations.

iSportconnect will help provide a platform to increase brand awareness of 3D Digital Venue within the sports world and boost their profile with the aim of expanding the range of venues they provide services for and with increased connections. We will also advise with the business development as 3D Digital Venue moves forwards.

Sree Varma, Founder and CEO of iSportconnect, said: “I am so happy we are able to welcome our new partner 3D Digital Venue to the iSportconnect family. This is an exciting development with a fantastic company, they provide a unique service that is increasingly important to supporters in the modern day. I can only see the need for their product growing and we want to help them expand during this period.”

About iSportconnect 

iSportconnect was launched in 2010 with the aim of bringing together sports business professionals around the world in a sports business networking community enabling them to meet one another, find information and obtain access to a wide range of relevant services. The platform is now the largest global private network of sport business executives, where membership is exclusive and follows a strict door policy.

 

ANOC Beach Games Debut In Qatar

The inaugural Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games Qatar 2019 starts on Saturday and will conclude October 16.

Fans will be able to watch live streaming of competitions on the official website – www.awbgqatar.com.

The Olympic Channel will also present LIVE streaming coverage on the global digital platform at olympicchannel.com and its mobile apps.

The event will feature 1240 athletes from 97 countries competing for 350 medals across 14 sports including aquathlon, 3×3 basketball, climbing-bouldering, beach handball, karate kata, kitefoil racing, skateboarding, beach soccer, open water swimming, beach tennis, beach volleyball 4×4, waterski, wakeboard and beach wrestling.

Qatar daily newspaper The Peninsula reports:

An eye-catching mix of new beach front locations and state-of-the-art permanent venues have been chosen to host the events.

The striking setting of Katara Beach, on the northern shores of Doha, will be the multi-sport event’s epicentre, hosting all of the medal events as well as the complete competitions for 3×3 Basketball, Kitefoil Racing, Open Water Swimming 5Km, Aquathlon, Individual Kata, Beach Wrestling, Beach Tennis and Beach Soccer.

Al-Gharafa Sports Club will be converted into a dazzling host venue for the Beach Handball and Beach Volleyball, while the world-famous Aspire Zone, in the heart of Doha, will open its doors to Bouldering and Skateboarding.

The Waterski Jump and the Wakeboard events will be held in the idyllic waters of the Ritz Carlton Canal.

Wetsuit Brand Huub Backs British Triathlons

Wetsuit and apparel specialist Huub has signed a strategic and long-term sponsorship agreement with the UK’s two biggest and most popular Triathlons, the Blenheim and London Triathlons.

The deal was negotiated by Limelight Sports, the agency of the active world, who took over the management of both events from IMG in 2019.

The Bloodwise Blenheim Palace Triathlon takes place on 30-31 May and the London Triathlon takes place on 8-9 August at the ExCel Centre and includes a cycle route on closed roads through central London. Both events attract thousands of participants, from first timers to seasoned amateurs.

Huub has secured a multi-year agreement across several categories. The sponsorship fee will also include providing participants with an extensive range of products and services. This new deal will add to Huub’s portfolio of sponsorships which includes an agreement with several of the UK’s top triathletes including the Brownlee brothers.

Limelight Sports CCO, James Robinson, commented, “It is fantastic to have a leading brand such as Huub involved in our two major triathlon events. We are very excited about developing this partnership with the team at Huub and bringing a range of quality products and services to our participants. Team Huub has over four decades worth of experience in the endurance sport market and its scientific and technological expertise is second to none.”

Dean Jackson, Founder of Huub commented, “We are delighted to be involved in the London and Blenheim Triathlons, two of the most important and high-profile events in the calendar. As increasing numbers of people get involved in triathlons’ we are committed to helping provide the best and most suitable equipment to help athletes achieve their personal goals. Limelight have huge experience in this sector, and we are really looking forward to working with them to develop these iconic events and help take them to the next level.”