Tackling the challenges of providing Sports Live over the Internet

Jim DeFilippis explains the challenges of streaming the Olympics Live events are one of the big money makers for the entertainment industry, and none are bigger than sports broadcasts. They come with many unique challenges for digital broadcasters, but each year new records are set for how many streaming users can tune-in to a game or match. ETIA's Getting Sporty panel shared their expertise in digital sports broadcasting, along with some of their future challenges. Ken Kerschbaumer of Sports Video Group moderated and kicked off the panel, starting with industry veteran Jim DeFilippis, currently with TMS Consulting, who talked about the challenges of streamcasting the Sochi Olympics. He began by showing the mobile application designed to allow users to pick and choose between live and recorded events as well as highlights. Client broadcasters could also provide their own clips for their customers.

The application was cross-platform, with versions for Flash, iOS, Windows Mobile and Android. It ultimately supported 370,000 hours of viewing. Sports insider David Aufhauser of Pac-12 Networks -- a wholly-owned Pac-12 company created to provide the Universities sporting events to broadcast and streaming viewers. Perhaps unique among similar content creators, the Pac-12 creates all content ready for both broadcast and digital across its National network and six Regional networks -- including 2400 hours of live events last year alone. Their current challenges include dealing with events that don't wind up fitting neatly in their pre-defined slot in the electronic program guide. Joe Novello of Crossfit Games started his remarks by explaining that unlike most entertainment provided online Crossfit aims to cross-over to real life by providing a new physical workout every day that each of its viewers (I guess we should call them participants) carries out. While the framework of the workout is the same, individuals scale the workout to their capabilities. The logical result is the gamification of the system and the creation of the Crossfit Games. They have grown to over 200,000 participants this year. Clark Pierce of Fox Sports rounded out the panel by explaining that at Fox there is no tension between broadcast and streaming, as they are committed to providing their content to the user with the best quality on the best screen for their viewing needs -- so Fox's on the go solution is designed to provide the same excellent experience that a subscriber would get on their TV at home when they are using a mobile device. He stressed that live TV is, in his opinion, what is holding the streaming solutions like Netflix and Hulu at bay. -- David Cardinal for ETIA 2014, SMPTE & SCIEN