The benefits of fully managed versioning for live events
Across businesses and industries, the digital transformation has taken hold, and live events are no exception. New technology and fast, scalable IP networks enable live sports distribution to hungry audiences around the globe, and the move to cloud-based platforms means even your production team is no longer tied to the event location. Remote production is the next big thing, but why stop there? With fully managed versioning for live events, you can produce even more game feeds with the same resources.
Challenges of versioning for live events
Increasing audience fragmentation has driven the need for versioned live events. And while the pandemic accelerated remote production, typical remote workflows may not be enough to overcome the challenges of versioning for live events.
Complex workflows
The future of live sports distribution lies in the cloud. There are many benefits to moving event production to the cloud: it’s convenient, flexible, and efficient. But versioning for live events introduces new layers of complexity. Adding video graphics, voiceovers, SCTE ad markers, and more, then spinning up tens or even hundreds of versions requires sophisticated technology. And as UHD, HDR, virtual reality, and other tech continues to develop, workflows will only get more complicated.
Range of content
Technology is important, but don’t forget what’s ultimately driving this high demand for live event versioning: your audience. Today’s millennial and Gen Z sports fans are used to watching events on two screens, chatting with others, and engaging with live content. They’re also more likely than older generations to want on-demand and behind-the-scenes content. Leagues and teams are responding with different views, player cams, instant highlights, and more. But it can be difficult to ingest and aggregate data from so many viewpoints.
High bandwidth
More content — and the complex workflows needed to support it — means a greater volume of data. Video versioning, then managing egress to millions of endpoints that could be anywhere in the world, on any device, requires higher bandwidth than ever before. Transitioning to a robust, secure IP network is essential, but legacy workflows and technology can make low-latency, high-volume channel creation seem like a pipe dream.
Synchronization
It isn’t always easy to synchronize all the different elements of remote video production. Cameras, microphones, announcers, and control rooms all have to be in sync to create a seamless viewing experience, but latency issues can easily disrupt synchronization. Versioning for live events also needs to be perfectly timed, from adding remote announcers in the local language to inserting ads. And it isn’t just about having the right tools — you also need the experience to use them.
What is fully managed versioning for live events?
Fully managed live event versioning is related to remote production, but goes a step beyond. It involves bringing audio and video feeds to a centralized studio where they can be edited, versioned, stitched together, and sent back out, all in a matter of seconds. It uses advanced technology to automate much of the process, but is overseen and managed by a team including producers, directors, editors, and engineers.
Benefits of fully managed live video versioning
The combination of automation with a human touch means fully managed versioning for live events can deliver more feeds, more efficiently — and it results in plenty of benefits.
Improved communication
Producing live events involves numerous stakeholders, from camera operators to sound engineers. Add in graphic design and other elements of versioning, and there are even more moving pieces. Clear communication and expert project management can help streamline processes, encourage collaboration, and mitigate potential challenges.
With LTN Arc, our fully managed service for large-scale video ingest, aggregation, and decoration, you’ll have a team to help you do just that. Our expert staff includes producers, directors, graphic artists, and sound engineers, all in-house at our
cutting-edge, 30,000-square-foot operations center. And we provide always-on technical support and a dedicated technical project manager.
Higher quality
Flawless communication and collaboration will be reflected in flawless live events. When you bring all of your audio and video inputs to a centralized operations center, you have more control over the final product. And when the studio is state-of-the-art and fully managed by a dedicated team of experts, that final product will be the high quality your audience demands.
LTN Arc acquires feeds from all around the world and delivers them to our centralized operations center, where our remote team inserts graphics, ads, and other production aspects as if they were on the ground at the event. All versions are created from the same source in the same place, ensuring consistency and quality.
Increased reliability
In the fully managed model, the operations center isn’t just responsible for digital versioning. It also needs to ensure that each version gets to the viewer quickly, seamlessly, and reliably. Fully managed transmission networks provide proactive monitoring and support to help ensure that high-quality, low-latency video gets to where it needs to be, every time.
LTN Arc is built on the LTN Network, the industry’s only fully managed and monitored global network. Operations center personnel continuously monitor, configure, and troubleshoot each individual feed, right down to their performance at the receive sites. In fact, we often isolate and fix issues before customers even notice them.
Cost savings
The ability to spin up and version on-demand game feeds provides opportunities to reach new audiences and monetize your content in an increasingly competitive landscape. Fully managed versioning for live events uses a centralized operations center to do this without the massive production costs. Fewer people and less equipment means that you can lower your CapEx and achieve operational excellence, all without sacrificing quality.
LTN Arc leverages automation plus a team of experts to create high-quality content with fewer resources. Optimizing production spend means that leagues, teams, and rights holders can deliver more content faster, without investing in infrastructure or staff. This fully managed model is agile and scalable, able to flex up and down with your needs.
Monetize your content with fully managed versioning
Ultimately, fully managed services like LTN Arc let you diversify your revenue streams and increase efficiency, without the need for third-party versioning software. Our proprietary technology is built on the foundation of our ultra-reliable, low-latency network, allowing for unlimited scalability. Our highly trained, technical personnel have deep metadata and production expertise. And our track record of success with major sports leagues says it all.
LTN Arc is here to help teams, leagues, and rights holders reach a wider audience and generate more revenue. If you’re ready to become a live versioning success story, contact us for a demo today.