Guinness PRO14 Rugby Union is the first to deliver OTT (Over The Top) video streaming directly to fans thanks to a new partnership with StreamAMG. The Sports Techie community blog is honored to share this sports tech news with our dedicated readers and followers. My son Kellan has Irish in him on his Mom’s side and I like rugby a lot as do many a fan in Ireland, the UK and around the world. The implementation of the official Guinness PRO14 direct-to-consumer platform is part of a video stream trend across sports properties, including ESPN+. Now, Championship supporters in selected international territories can digitally consume live competitions, games and archived content following up on global broadcasts successfully delivered early in the current season on social media. PRO14 TV service is available for the season-ending Guinness PRO14 Finals Series. Isn’t sports tech amazing!
Dermot Rigley, Commercial Director of PRO14 Rugby, said: “Launching our own OTT video platform to reach fans around the world was a logical next step for us as we experience more demand for the Guinness PRO14 than ever before. To be the first major rugby union tournament to launch an OTT service is in keeping with our commitment to innovation and a commitment to embrace new technologies.”
PRO14 TV Options
Surf to the www.pro14.tv website and select from various packages. The Euro price for individual game Pay-per-view passes is €3.99, while a weekend pass (Friday, Saturday, Sunday fixtures; 72 hours) is priced at €6.99 making it the better option, depending on your needs.
Should you want monthly or seasonal pricing, look for that launching in time for the 19/20 season. Archived content will be offered to the online audience by free registration-led access. Watch the robust Guinness PRO14 library of clips showcasing highlights, replays of full-matches and exclusive content, in addition to live, chargeable match coverage in real-time to wherever you are.
Viewers can enjoy watching Guinness PRO14’s European Champions Cup holders, Leinster Rugby, as well as European Challenge Cup winners, Cardiff Blue, as they play in each round.
Rigley added, “Since expanding the Championship into South Africa in 2017 we have experienced significant growth across all metrics including attendances, social media engagement and, of course, signing record-setting broadcast deals earlier this year.”
Guinness PRO14 Metrics
The Guinness PRO14 Championship consist of 14 proud clubs – four Irish, four Welsh, two Scottish, two Italian and two South African teams – competing in two conferences to earn a berth in the Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and Final. The Championship holder is Leinster, the most successful side in the competition’s history with five hard-fought title wins to their prestigious name. Every season since 2010-11 has seen in-stadium attendances top 1 million, with millions more watching on television worldwide.
Key Figures from the 2017/18 Guinness PRO14 Season:
● A total of 297 International players appeared
● 76 players made their Test debuts
● Attendances rose by 10% to an overall figure of 1,307,949
● 861 Tries were scored, setting a new record
● Guinness PRO14 has the fastest rucks globally – 81% at 3 seconds or less
● For the first time both European trophies were won by PRO14 clubs (Champions Cup, Leinster Rugby & Challenge Cup, Cardiff Blues)
StreamAMG
OTT service runs on the proprietary StreamAMG MediaPlatform video management platform. This business deal also includes the incorporation of CloudMatrix, the new and unique feed-based distribution tech. StreamAMG’s secure transaction platform, CloudPay, processes subscribers payments and enables subscription management.
Duncan Burbidge, Chief Executive Officer of StreamAMG, said, “To be able to work with a top-flight sporting property in the form of Guinness PRO14 is a real honor for us. Our team is relishing the opportunity to bring their technical expertise and sporting expertise to bear in the delivery of a best-in-class OTT proposition.”
Founded out of in London in 2001, StreamAMG was acquired in 2017 by the PA Group. Their sports outfit is based in MediaCityUK, Salford, with most technical development and R&D carried out by a wholly owned and operated development house in Birkirkara, Malta. The company’s sports-centric team is responsible for OTT and VOD solutions for more than 30 football clubs across Europe, in addition to rights holders, federations and clubs across a range of other sports including golf, rugby league, rugby union, darts, netball and more.
To get started, visit https://pro14.tv/
Sports Techie, rugby is finally taking the United States by storm.
Many a friend are posting on Facebook about the Seattle Seawolves professional rugby union team based in my hometown of Seattle, Washington. The team is a key component of Major League Rugby here in America.
I can only imagine how passionate fans are for the
Guinness PRO14 as New Zealand is for the All Blacks.
Cable finally met it’s match in OTT resulting in a cutting the cord phenomenon.
Guinness PRO14 and StreamAMG are poised to make it so for their fans, sponsors and venues.
Three virtual cheers for this sports technology achievement.
Hip, hip, hooray, hollered three times!
See ya later sportstechie in Seattle, Atlanta and around the world!
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