Last week, Google’s YouTube TV suffered an hour-long outage while it was airing a soccer World Cup match between Croatia and England, disappointing scores of subscribers in the process. It even led some to question whether it’s possible for any company to handle live streaming such a major event. The truth is that while live streaming high-definition video to large audiences can be incredibly challenging, others have risen to the challenge. India-based steaming service Hotstar, which has garnered some 350 million followers across its lifetime and is owned by 21st Century Fox, streamed a cricket match to 10.3 million viewers concurrently earlier this year. It happened on May 27, when the Chennai Super Kings faced off against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final match of the 11th edition of the Vivo Indian Premier League at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. The IPL is the most-attended cricket league on the planet, and brings together the best players from across the … [Read more...] about How Hotstar streams cricket matches to 10 million passionate fans at once
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Twitter disbanded its live-video business, which partnered with Disney/ESPN, BuzzFeed and MLB
Teresa Kroeger/Getty Images Twitter has dissolved its live video business unit, which was responsible for deals with programming partners like Disney/ESPN, MLB and BuzzFeed, according to an internal memo obtained by Variety and confirmed by a Twitter spokesperson. In a statement, Twitter representatives suggested that the move is an effort to "streamline" its content strategy. Twitter's Q1 2018 results show that video now accounts for more than half of the company's ad revenue. Twitter has disbanded the live-video business unit responsible for deals with programming partners like Disney/ESPN, MLB and BuzzFeed, moving to consolidate those functions under its content-partnerships team,Variety has learned. The move is part of a larger reorganization underKay Madati,Twitter’s global head of content partnerships, to adopt a regional management structure rather than the previous one based on categories like news, sports and live video. Madati announced the changes in an … [Read more...] about Twitter disbanded its live-video business, which partnered with Disney/ESPN, BuzzFeed and MLB
The esports surge — and the massive opportunities behind it (VB Live)
31 million people watch esports tournaments in the U.S., and more than double that, 68M, in China. And the question is — how do you monetize that at scale? Don’t miss this VB Live event for keen insights on how U.S. companies can effectively operate globally or begin to expand globally. Access this VB Live event on demand right here. Here’s the big esports question: Is there anybody who’s really interested in watching other people play a game as opposed to playing a game themselves? With more than 150 million people a month on Twitch, there really is no question. Esports, which racked up 300 million viewers worldwide last year, is on track to surpass a billion dollars for the first time this year, across all markets, and not just from indirect revenue sources, like advertising and sponsorship. Merchandise sales, ticket sales, and other items that consumers purchase directly make up about a quarter of that income. “Blizzard can sell out tickets for its … [Read more...] about The esports surge — and the massive opportunities behind it (VB Live)
Want to scale big with esports? You better look east (VB Live)
Asia-Pacific countries offer a huge opportunity for companies looking to invest into the esports explosion. But only those that understand the market’s specific strengths and weaknesses will succeed. Join this VB Live event to learn more about effectively engaging a global audience for real ROI in your streaming content monetization strategy for any industry. Register here for free. When it comes to esports and streaming media, Asia already has well-established players serving a variety of needs. But according to SuperData Research senior analyst Carter Rogers, there are still lucrative opportunities that you can take advantage of if you’re looking in the right place. SuperData is a marketing company that specializes in tracking both revenue and viewership numbers in digital video game sales and interactive media (which includes virtual reality, esports, and live-streaming platforms). Carter’s job is to take that marketing data and use it to come up with what … [Read more...] about Want to scale big with esports? You better look east (VB Live)
Facebook in 2016: Live, fake, and half-baked
Facebook didn’t flood 2016 with mind-blowing announcements, let’s be honest. In 2015, the company inched closer to making our world a much smaller place, thanks to the promotion of Free Basics, Oculus virtual reality, and more. But this year Facebook charted a different course, one that enabled its 1.8 billion monthly active users to be more vocal about their lives. And, well, it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing. Instead of giant leaps into extraordinary new categories, Facebook doubled down on existing products, such as Messenger and Instagram. The features Facebook added in 2016 may impress users across these apps, but the company copied a great deal from Snapchat. (Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?) Facebook also made an aggressive push into live video. Through partnerships, relentless advertising, and a constant stream of new features, Facebook is determined to convince us that livestreaming is great … [Read more...] about Facebook in 2016: Live, fake, and half-baked