Cover Story for synchronised players for audio and video , and lower latencies between cameras and the media players that
viewers are using to watch content ,” advises AVIWEST ’ s Poullaouec .
“ Watch together ’ was part of a competition we ran three years ago ,” notes BT Sport ’ s Hindhaugh , with the winner , Sceenic ’ s fan link-up service evolving into the ‘ watch together ’ option . “ It was something we ’ d always identified as being a really valuable asset for a sports broadcaster , because sport is about a social viewing experience . It ’ s about bringing people together ,” he contends . “ Whilst it took us time to develop that properly and get the syncs worked out , to be able to launch it at a time when you couldn ’ t physically be at a ground or even physically be in a friend or family ’ s home to watch live sport was a real bonus . It ’ s been
“ Fans want to have the match-day experience , in person or not .” - Chris Clarke , Cerberus Tech
really well received . It is something that while implemented under Covid , was never devised or commissioned because of Covid . I think it has a long and successful journey ahead as part of the BT Sport experience , because it ’ s a lot harder to be together with the people you want to be together with all of the time and it gives you that opportunity to still get the banter , get the camaraderie that you get when you ’ re watching a live event , even if you ’ re not there and I ’ m really proud of it . I think our version of this is best in class by a long way , with the way everything is pulled together to give that seamless experience .” COMMUUNAL . “ While ‘ watch together ’ social media capabilities began as an added extra to a live TV broadcast with the cast joining fans on social platforms to watch-along with a TV show , the pandemic has moved the experience to focus on fans watching with other fans online , or friends and family joining together to watch a live stream on mobile or desktop ,” advises Grabyo ’ s Capon . “ This move has seen many sporting bodies , such as the IOC , move towards platforms such as Twitch , which put this communal watching feature at the centre of live sport . Participation is at the heart of the viewing experience on Twitch , which is quite different to traditional broadcast TV .”
He suggests that the next challenge may be bringing the watch together experiences to the big screen , so they can be an option for any sports broadcast - rather than a mobileonly experience . “ Many sporting organisations and broadcasters have shown a desire to create a format that matches up with the viewers ’ needs , driving fan engagement in the younger demographic on platforms and in formats they are more engaged in . Watch together integration on social media engages this demographic and builds a new type of relationship between fans and their favourite sports ,” he says . “ People have discovered that Watch Together and social media are convenient ways to view content with their friends . In general , there ’ s been a positive response from consumers and broadcasters , such as BT Sports , who are using these features as the main communication vehicle ,” adds Harmonic ’ s Fautier .
“ We ’ ve removed geographical barriers for sports fans with ‘ watch together ’ capabilities ,” suggests LTN Global ’ s Burk . “ You could be a Chelsea fan watching from the US but still participate in a live , onscreen fan experience . Eliminating these boundaries has enabled truly unique viewing experiences and digital immersion into any sports event around the world ,” he adds .
“ With millions of fans missing out on the in-stadium experience , over the past 15 months or so , for their favourite sports , we
launched our Watch Together co-viewing experience on the Yahoo Sports mobile app to give fans the ability to co-watch , interact and immerse themselves in the action ,” advises Verizon Media ’ s Lepke . “ Watch Together allowed sports fans to sync their live streams with friends and enjoy an in-game video chat room . Watch Together drove a 30 to 40 per cent increase in streaming session times in its opening weekend , and we later built on this success and extended the experience to Yahoo Fantasy with the Draft Together product .” PERSONALISATION . What developments have emerged which provide a greater degree of personalisation of sports content consumption ?
“ Within the OTT space there has been a huge focus on personalised content and customising experiences for fans , which has been accelerated by the recent increase in subscribers ” suggests Gaydon . “ The way that consumers engage with sports content is changing . There has been an increase in short-form viewing driven by social media ; younger fans are just as likely to follow individual players as they are teams . Niche sports are also growing in popularity , which opens opportunities for more teams and leagues to develop their own platforms . Fans can now opt for platforms which feel geared towards their specific tastes but once they are subscribed , the provider can tailor the experience even that supports
“ Creating a space for fans to meet virtually has been hugely popular .” - Gareth Capon , Grabyo further with content their individual preferences based on metrics and viewing patterns ,” he advises .
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