Swarmcast, provider of multi-source video streaming which powers MLB.TV, TV Tokyo and a number of other online video sites announced today a new turnkey offering geared specifically toward delivering video for live sports.
Swarmcast for Sports offers media rights holders an end-to-end solution including acquisition, DRM, content delivery, comprehensive reporting and an open platform enabling codec-agnostic delivery. The offering brings the company into greater competition with Move Networks which delivers video for ESPN360 and recently made an announcement highlighting their recent success in delivering live video.
“Swarmcast For Sports fills a massive need in the industry by providing the technology and infrastructure to capture sports on the playing field, package that content with a variety of monetization tools and then seamlessly deliver to any broadband connected device” said Kelly C. Egan, SVP of Business Development for Swarmcast.
The major advantage of Swarmcast’s offering, like that of Move Networks is that the client-side protocol – a downloadable plugin enables the company to improve viewer experience for all users regardless of connection speed while at the same time using that network information to improve stability, do rights management, and get incredibly granular data on viewing and user interaction which needless to say is immensely valuable in advertising.
Unlike Move Networks which offers only a high end all-inclusive solution, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars or more in most cases, Swarmcast offers broadcasters the flexibility to use their system to take advantage of any aspect of the value chain. By mixing and matching depending on their specific needs, the open platform offers a turnkey solution if desired. But it also allows media companies the flexibility to adapt to the fast changing digital media environment while minimizing switching costs.