Published on 2023-06-11
The revolution OTT in sport
OTT eliminates the need for traditional broadcasting intermediaries such as televisions or telecommunications operators, allowing content producers to offer their content directly to the audience—a concept known as “Direct-to-Consumer” or “D2C.” Platforms like OKAST enable anyone to launch their own OTT service, ushering in a new economy for creators and broadcasters of audio and video content.
The sports industry has been one of the last to embrace online streaming and OTT services. The outbreak of Covid-19 accelerated the shift to live broadcasting of sports events, which has now become the norm.
OTT has become a significant source of revenue and audience engagement for all players in the sports industry. Furthermore, the demand for streaming services continues to grow exponentially. It’s no surprise that Amazon acquired the rights to broadcast NFL games for $130 million in April 2018, nor that they secured broadcasting rights for Roland Garros between 2021 and 2023.
What is the impact of using these platforms?
The rise of OTT platforms and live-streaming tools has opened up opportunities for a wider range of sports to be watched, both professional and amateur. It is now increasingly possible for individuals and organizations to launch their own sports streaming platforms, without being limited to professional clubs or popular sports like football, tennis, or basketball. The range of sports available on OTT platforms is expanding to include diverse options such as field hockey, volleyball, or even curling.
In addition to greater variety, there is a growing trend of local clubs broadcasting amateur matches. For example, platforms like OKAST have clients such as the French Table Tennis Federation, which streams multiple matches simultaneously every weekend. Boxing clubs are also using OTT platforms to offer shows that include both professional and amateur fights. Imagine the convenience of being able to watch your child’s football or tennis match on an OTT platform, allowing the rest of the family to watch it live or catch up on the recording!
These new possibilities offered by live streaming and OTT are revolutionizing the way we consume sports in the coming years. They open up avenues for greater accessibility and convenience, enabling a wider audience to engage with various sports at all levels of competition.
Sports through platforms
This offers a global opportunity for reach and scalability. By moving away from traditional broadcasters or distributors, the costs and legal complexities linked to negotiating contracts on a territorial basis are reduced. This allows for a leaner and more efficient distribution process, reaching audiences worldwide.
In fact, OTT eliminates the local broadcast limits of a sports event. Family members and fans living in different parts of the world can now access the live stream of a match, regardless of their geographic location. This opens new possibilities for amateur sports clubs to connect with a broader audience and share their matches with supporters around the globe.
One of the significant advantages of OTT is its ability to host an unlimited number of viewers. While physical stadiums have limited capacity, streaming removes this constraint, allowing an unlimited number of fans to access and view content. OTT platforms leverage cloud servers capable of adapting to traffic demands and automatically scaling to handle high viewer volumes.
Overall, OTT streaming offers sports organizations the ability to reach a global audience, break free from geographic limitations, and efficiently manage the scalability of their streaming services.