Sport is one of the largest unifying threads of humanity, bringing cultures and populations together. The popularity of sport among audiences cannot be questioned. However, now, as one of many sources of entertainment, sports compete with not just other sports but also VOD content for viewers’ attention.

As sports rights-holders battle to hold the last frontier of must-watch-live content, there are several challenges they must face.

1. Inertia of legacy distribution infrastructure limiting their reach
2. Need for immersive viewing experiences at home
3. Deploying world-class services in globally distributed venues at a short notice

The need for a digital transformation partner is imminent for sporting bodies.

Enabling remote production for efficiencies across multiple world-class events, a partner to manage their IT and networking requirements globally and a distribution infrastructure that combines the virtues of fibre and IP-based delivery to support legacy satellite methods are crucial tasks.

Tata Communications has performed some path-breaking work to change the digital landscape of some of the biggest global sporting brands.

We are definitively living in the age of content. Non-linear, internet-based distribution is bringing regional content to global audiences. But as enterprises focus on content production and acquisition, they leave less and less capital for investment in technology.

The opportunities presented by the democratization of content through the internet also opens the door to disruption by new technologies and content formats.

1. Demand for non-mainstream media is fragmented globally
2. Traditional media channels, while declining in prominence, are not obsolete in major markets

Content owners need a digital infrastructure partner that can manage their disparate global distribution requirements, move their content workflows to the cloud and enable efficiencies in content acquisition.

Tata Communications helps some of the leading content brands simplify their content workflows and manage their hybrid distribution needs.

Digital native media companies have mastered the OTT market by virtue of being first adopters in IP-based distribution and cloud-based workflows. A steadily growing audience and unprecedented freedom in content experimentation has brought a revolution in the way content is consumed globally.

However, the very nature of being an internet-first enterprise, also exposes streaming companies to the perils of this medium.

1. Low barriers to entry leading to extremely stiff competition for viewers
2. Low switching costs for users means a low attention span
3. An ever-evolving technology stack

Tata Communications has developed its OTT orchestration services built into its media-ready cloud and network infrastructure, making it ideal for streaming companies. Right from delivery through VDN, storage and compute on a media cloud and automating content workflows, our solutions offer the perfect tech stack for OTT enterprises.

Moreover, our core connectivity solutions offer the highest resiliency and availability on our global tier-1 fibre network.

The trends around global networked play, full-game downloads and in-game content purchases indicate a robust growth of the $180Bn Gaming industry, which is poised to grow its sales at a steady rate into the new decade. The transition to cloud gaming will see a switch in revenue models along with new content delivery methods.

With such a huge market to play for, console manufacturers, game publishers and new entrants with cloud and data centre assets are locked in a fierce battle. Each player faces its own set of challenges.

1. Creating well-defined commercial models for Esports
2. Moving from legacy environments to platform-agnostic games
3. Defining monetization strategies around VR/AR technologies

As gaming and eSports companies surge to capture emerging markets and mobile gamers, the need for secure cloud connectivity to global data centres, reliable core networking to connect globally-distributed developer studios and a media distribution and remote production strategy for their eSports properties are chief priorities for enterprise leaders.

Tata Communications, a leading digital infrastructure services provider to 300 of the Fortune 500 companies, is well-positioned to serve these key needs.