With the conclusion of major events like the Summer Olympics and UEFA European Championship, live sports production and delivery will be a key theme at IBC 2024. The annual broadcast trade show, taking place September 13-16 in Amsterdam, will highlight advancements that enhance the viewer experience and optimize production workflows for global sporting events.
Delivering high-quality live sports content to a global audience remains a critical challenge. "Fresh from all the action from the Olympics, live sports production and delivery is likely to be a big topic for this year’s IBC. For any live content, but especially high-profile sports, it is crucial to ensure a high quality and seamless experience for all viewers, even when the audience is huge and global,” said Stefan Lederer, CEO and co-founder of Bitmovin. Achieving this, however, can be challenging, “not least because streaming involves requirements for solutions from multiple vendors and at times complex integrations.”
Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to play a significant role in enhancing video workflows. "This year’s event is where we will see some real traction with AI and a huge slew of solutions and services leveraging AI, predominantly aimed at improving cost and resource efficiencies and enhancing video workflows,” predicts Lederer. Bitmovin's Analytics AI Session Interpreter, for example, "leverages the power of AI to help users better understand playback sessions with explanations and recommendations for improving their service." This AI-driven analytics can be invaluable for broadcasters looking to optimize their streaming performance and viewer satisfaction.
The shift toward software-based tools and cloud workflows is transforming the broadcast landscape. "Since the last Olympics, there has been a steady shift towards software-based tools and cloud workflows. This year, we have seen those in action on a large scale across the entire event,” said Kieran Kunhya, founder and CEO of Open Broadcast Systems. This shift toward COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) IT hardware offers increased flexibility and scalability for live sports production.
“More and more manufacturers and end-users are seeing the benefits of using COTS hardware in their products and facilities,” Kunhya explained, noting that software-based solutions provide broadcasters with increased flexibility to adapt to changing requirements. “Our encoders and decoders are all software-based and deployed on standard off-the-shelf IT hardware. This means we can add capabilities in the field as requirements change, something particularly valuable for live sports broadcast,” said Kunhya.
The ability to upgrade and modify systems on the fly is a game-changer for sports broadcasters. It allows for rapid responses to new technical challenges or viewer demands without the need for extensive hardware replacements.
With increased content and platforms, efficient content delivery is becoming paramount. "We are increasingly seeing the need to efficiently deliver high-value content amidst decreased budgets and an overcrowded market,” said Kristian Mets, global head of sales business development at Net Insight. Mets highlights the growing demand for scalable and efficient live media transport solutions that simplify workflows and reduce infrastructure costs. "There is an increasing demand from media companies for scalable and efficient live media transport solutions that do away with complicated workflows and overcomplicated costly infrastructure,” said Mets.
The drive for global reach in sports content distribution is fueling innovation in media transport technology. "With an urgency to expand and access new consumers, content providers are looking to reach previously untapped audiences across the globe,” Mets noted.
Jean-Christophe Perier, CMO of Globecast, expects discussions at IBC to focus on modernizing technology stacks and workflows. He anticipates a focus on “the major industry opportunities presented by the accelerating pace of hybrid cloud technology integration and orchestration, as well as the growth of the OTT service model.”
Integrating hybrid cloud technologies provides sports broadcasters with greater flexibility and scalability in their operations, enabling more efficient resource allocation and potentially reducing costs associated with traditional broadcasting infrastructure.
The rise of over-the-top (OTT) services is also reshaping the landscape of sports broadcasting. OTT platforms provide new content delivery and monetization avenues, allowing sports organizations to reach viewers directly and offer more personalized experiences.
"Following a big summer of sport, we also expect sports broadcasting to be top of mind – in particular, how an IP/cloud distribution mix has enabled playout and global distribution of major sports tournaments,” said Perier.
“Exhibitors rebooking for 2025 have been informed that Content Everywhere will be expanding its IBC footprint again next year, reflecting the growing importance of multi-platform delivery, OTT, and content monetization,” said Perier.
The convergence of these technologies – software-based tools, cloud workflows, efficient media transport and OTT delivery – is opening up new possibilities for live sports production and distribution. IBC 2024 attendees will have the opportunity to explore these advancements firsthand and gain insights into how they can enhance live sports production and delivery.