No going back: LiveU outlines why IP distribution will deliver the sports content of the future
By Jennifer P
There is a growing polarisation across the sports media rights landscape, with traditional broadcasters being less interested in second and third tier sports properties as the value of live tier one sports media rights continues to increase. However, this presents a challenge to those second and third tier sports properties who have already suffered from lower commercial revenues during the pandemic.
To address this challenge, sports rights owners need to go beyond linear broadcast platforms and distribute content to the preferred platforms and devices of fans. IP distribution is becoming increasingly important, as it allows sports organisations to distribute content to a fragmented digital and social media landscape.
In 2023, we can expect IP distribution in sports to come of age and shift from an experimental phase to a state of widespread adoption. Eurovision Sport has already delivered a proof of concept at the International Ski Mountaineering Federation World Cup Finals, which demonstrated that even in remote locations with unstable local internet networks, reliable IP distribution can be achieved.
The environmental benefits of IP workflows are also being recognised and valued, as distributing content over IP networks via a cloud-based solution requires far fewer people to travel on-site and no satellite trucks. As the sports industry increasingly looks to operate in a sustainable manner, IP distribution is likely to become even more important.
Content Spike
The Volleyball World’s decision to opt for a cloud production workflow for the Beach Volleyball Pro Tour 2022 was a successful one. By using IP distribution, they were able to significantly increase their production volumes while cutting costs compared to satellite distribution. Additionally, the increased flexibility and scalability of the IP distribution workflow allowed Volleyball World to sell media rights up until the day before the event, which likely provided them with greater revenue opportunities.
It’s also worth noting that Volleyball World took a proactive approach to addressing any concerns that their broadcast partners may have had about the IP distribution workflow. By working closely with these partners and providing education and support, Volleyball World was able to make the transition smoother and put their partners at ease.
The ability to track which broadcast partners were accessing the feeds and when they were accessing them is a valuable feature that can provide Volleyball World with useful insights and data to help them optimize their distribution strategy in the future.
Reading The News
The news broadcasting sector provides an excellent use case for IP distribution that the sports industry can learn from. ENEX’s use of IP distribution has enabled its members to access a larger number of live sources, making live content management more flexible and affordable. The fully managed end-to-end service with proactive monitoring and 24/7 support ensures service reliability and availability.
In addition, IP distribution tools facilitate the easier manipulation of multiple live signals for distribution, which is particularly useful during events like the US Election, where broadcasters need feeds from numerous locations across the country to be available all at the same time.
While IP distribution is on the rise, satellite distribution remains critical to many broadcasters across the world. Hybrid solutions that combine the reach and familiarity of satellite distribution with the cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and scalability of IP distribution are becoming increasingly popular. For example, LiveU has partnered with global content connectivity solutions provider SES to provide hybrid solutions.
The hybrid satellite-IP distribution solution used by Oranda Singapore to distribute live broadcasts of sports climbing in Korea to viewers across EMEA, the Americas and Asia provided 100% reliability of signal distribution. This demonstrates that hybrid solutions can provide the best of both worlds, delivering reliable signal distribution while still taking advantage of the benefits of IP distribution.
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