Streaming 3.0: Sport’s next great technological revolution
The Future of Streaming is Fan First
The relationship between sports and television is symbiotic. Sports attract vast, engaged audiences for media companies, who can generate huge revenue through advertising and subscriptions, while rights holders receive fees and exposure that create a platform for growth in many different verticals.
However, the traditional model has its limits: linear broadcasters only have so much budget and airtime to commit to sports, meaning fans only receive a fraction of the content they might want, and some sports franchises are either squeezed out or not adequately served.
Sport is now ready for its next revolution
The streaming media industry has become a force to be reckoned with, taking cues from other entertainment forms that ditched physical media and traditional channels for digital distribution. By following their lead, streaming platforms have shaken up the game, making content easily accessible and convenient for audiences everywhere.
How?
- Transmission quality has improved significantly
- The smartphone has become ubiquitous,
- High-speed mobile and broadband connectivity are accessible worldwide.
Any sports property can establish direct relationships with its audience, shaping digital experiences that deepen engagement, unlock new revenue streams, generate valuable first-party data, and reach entirely new audiences.
Success in the streaming media industry relies on a cohesive blend of factors. The Streann success formula, which revolves around content (distribution x engagement) = monetization, underscores the importance of effectively delivering and engaging with content to generate revenue. By integrating these elements, streaming platforms can optimize content distribution, enhance engagement, and ultimately maximize monetization opportunities.
The technological challenge of going direct to consumer in sports
Realizing the full potential of the direct-to-consumer approach isn’t as simple as flicking a switch and streaming to the world.
In their rush to embrace streaming, many sports franchises erroneously believe they need to internalize the infrastructure themselves. An in-house technology operation makes it possible to control the pace of development, and the feature set, and acquire first-party data that can be a competitive advantage.
However, easier said than done. A successful streaming platform requires a high-quality user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) that make the sports experience regularly feel fresh and new like it was made for that individual user — and that requires significant resources and investment, and a world-class multidisciplinary team.
Solving Live Streaming
Unlike a movie or a multi-season drama that has a long shelf-life, the value of live sport diminishes almost the instant after it has taken place, certainly after 24 hours and mass social media exposure. Few things in life are as emotive as sports and viewers who pay a premium for live events will be frustrated at any disruption — causing significant reputational damage. Reliability is paramount.
However, live streaming is a much different proposition to on-demand viewing. Platforms must have the capacity and capability to deliver a high-quality picture to millions of simultaneous viewers around the globe. Sport is also extremely latency-sensitive, so delivery must be as rapid and efficient as possible so key moments don’t turn into spoilers by a smartphone notification or a cheering next-door neighbor.
Experience can vary across different devices and keeping track of multiple applications is a full-time occupation in and of itself. What works for iOS or Android won’t necessarily work on a Smart TV, and each endpoint category should have a dedicated product manager, adding to the expense of operating and developing a widely distributed streaming service.
Live sport is also extremely vulnerable to piracy so adequate measures must be taken to protect entitlement restrictions, subscription revenues, and relationships with third-party broadcast partners who might have the rights to events in certain markets.
At Streann Media, we’re at the forefront of the streaming revolution in sports. Our expertise in delivering top-notch user experiences, optimizing content distribution, and driving engagement empower sports properties to establish direct relationships with their fans. At Streann, we help unlock new revenue streams, generate valuable data, and reach untapped audiences. From seamless live streaming to robust security measures, Streann Media is your trusted partner in embracing the future of sports streaming.
About Streann
Streann Media®️ is the world’s most innovative and interactive content creation, distribution, engagement, and monetization streaming platform. With Streann, content providers can create live-streaming content and build next-generation Web 3.0 business models, with more than 150 proprietary features. Established in Miami, Florida, the company has won several industry awards for its innovations and has millions of active users in 141 geographies. For more information, visit www.streann.com.
