Let’s Talk
Get in touch to learn how we can help you achieve more with OTT.
Get in touchBackground
Sunderland AFC is one of the biggest and oldest English football clubs, with a large and dedicated fanbase in the North East and around the world. Currently playing in the third tier of English football, the Black Cats broke the League One attendance record in 2018-19 and reached the playoff final.
The club also reached an international audience through the ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die’ documentary, which aired on Netflix and was re-ordered for a second season to be screened in the coming months.
Sunderland uses live and on demand video to offer highlights, interviews and behind the scenes content and reach their fans worldwide. The Wearside club has worked with StreamAMG to reach its fans worldwide since 2012, with MediaPlatform powering SAFCTV and then SAFSEE, which has become one of the most popular video on demand services in English football.
SAFC TV had proved a popular service based on VoD content, with content streaming to users in more than 200 countries and territories across the world. However, following the EFL decision allowing clubs to live stream matches on their own platforms, the club decided to relaunch its offering with live matches as the centrepiece of a revamped service.
However, SAFSEE did not have a dedicated app, a key requirement for live streaming laid out in the EFL regulations. Sunderland had to find a way to quickly and reliably set up an app that could handle worldwide live streaming without disrupting its existing platform and operations.
With a limited window to relaunch the service in between seasons, any app also had to incorporate its existing on demand content and archive to supplement live coverage and meet subscriber expectations of a premium service.
Solution
As its long-time video technology partner, Sunderland turned to us for a solution. As well as providing the live streaming solution underpinning the new SAFSEE service, we took on the task of building apps that focused on what was important for the project’s success; speed, lightness and control.
The result was a pair of native apps for iOS and Android optimised for live and on demand video delivery, built on a light framework and pulling content directly from our video management system CloudMatrix.
The CloudMatrix system allows content managers to build feeds of content based on rules that auto-populate with new uploads, allowing content managers to present dynamic playlists and collections without manually searching and ordering videos. Designed with a ‘upload once, deliver everywhere’ philosophy, it also features scheduling and automated holdback features provide further control to content managers and the best possible experience for viewers.
For user management and payments, the apps were also integrated with the CloudPay system, which takes payments worldwide via Stripe on the user’s preferred platform; vital for a club with an international reach.
Live streams of matches can be accessed through the app overseas (as well as selected games in the UK), and users worldwide can tune into live match audio commentary and on demand content. The app also features a Favourites function, allowing subscribers to build their own playlist of videos according to their preferences.
Results
StreamAMG facilitated the relaunch of the service in a matter of weeks with minimal disruption. Sunderland benefitted from our tried and tested live streaming services, the native apps, and the CloudMatrix system to form a capable, cost-effective and convenient end-to-end solution.
By building relevant collections with CloudMatrix by querying their archive rather than manual curation, the club could easily organise and present their video content in playlists straight away, safe in the knowledge that they would require minimal effort moving forward thanks to new relevant content auto population.
CloudMatrix also acts as a one stop shop for managing and publishing videos across all its platforms, making sure the lean and agile content team didn’t need to commit more time or resources despite managing multiple platforms.
With content taken care of by CloudMatrix, the native apps with light architecture meant a slick user experience for all subscribers that prioritised the core video content. As well as offering the ‘favourites’ personalisation feature, CloudPay integration also allowed fans to manage their subscription in app or online without having to switch device or platform.
The relaunched SAFSEE service helps the club bring its worldwide fanbase into the matchday experience. SAFSee launched successfully in Summer 2018, with the new app netting 25,000 downloads and a Top 10 spot in the iTunes sports app chart. In the first season (2018-19), revenue exceeded all expectations and immediately became a valuable income stream for the club. Across SAFSEE as a whole, the 2018-19 season saw total views rise by more than 75% over the previous campaign, with total watch time increasing by an incredible 150%.
To discover more StreamAMG app success stories or to request a demo, contact us and speak to an expert on +44 (0) 800 061 2361.
Enquire now“When the club embarked on live international streaming during the 2018-19 season, it was vital that we moved into the mobile app space. StreamAMG’s apps and CloudMatrix system gave us great flexibility in a low-maintenance package, providing a great service for our supporters and helping us hit our commercial goals.”
Tony Davison, Managing Director, Sunderland AFC
