Dynamic Ads in Sport
Posted on Sep 26, 2024 by FEED Staff
How dynamic ad insertion is delivering more value in sports
Cloud orchestration and dynamic ad insertion are driving the future of live sports. Yospace is here to explain why
Sponsored editorial
With OTT viewing numbers for live sports increasing rapidly, they continue to drive many streaming subscriptions. Consequently, the cost of securing sports rights is on the rise. Broadcasters and rights-holders are capitalising on opportunities to maximise their returns with OTT streaming enabling them to move beyond the constraints of a few 24/7 linear channels by scaling more ad-supported channels.
A major event like the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games serves as an excellent example. Traditionally, the big track and field events would air on one of the main 24/7 linear broadcast channels, while the remaining 30+ sports during the two-week Olympic window would be streamed via pop-up channels, offering a wider audience choice and many new advertising opportunities.
However, pop-up channels for smaller events must be managed more efficiently than main channels. The solution lies in automated cloud infrastructure and the integration of that capacity with server-side ad insertion (SSAI) – a process Yospace terms ‘live orchestration’.
Orchestrating live
An orchestrator module streamlines the process of automatically scaling infrastructure to handle dynamic quantities of channels with SSAI, ensuring they are removed as soon as an event ends to minimise infrastructure costs.
Pop-up channels have existed for a while, but their execution can be greatly improved. Deploying new encoding and packaging paths or placing additional personnel in the control room to monitor each live stream and trigger ad insertions during breaks has typically been a substantial project.
Using the Olympics as an example, live orchestration could greatly benefit the livestreaming of smaller events such as archery, badminton or lower-profile football and tennis matches. While these events individually may attract small audiences, efficient management can collectively drive a significant increase in advertising revenue. Additionally, the rights-holder can offer a better viewing experience with greater audience choice.
The ability to scale is essential, as online sports audiences are expected to continue growing. A live orchestration solution must seamlessly integrate with tools like prefetch to ensure ad calls are managed effectively when millions of concurrent viewers go to an ad break simultaneously.
Maximising SSAI
An essential part of monetising live events is curating ad opportunities, a manual process requiring ad breaks based on the state of play. In live sports, each live channel requires a dedicated operator to monitor the stream and insert ad markers during breaks. This is highly inefficient when a broadcaster runs multiple pop-up channels. With cloud orchestration, one operator can curate ad breaks across multiple channels simultaneously. Although the concept of pop-up channels is not new, creating them efficiently and at scale to meet the demands of live sports streaming and revenues remains a challenge.
Yospace’s orchestrator solution offers rightsholders full flexibility over their channels and business logic for any event. It has already supported tens of thousands of live events, with the number growing daily.
This feature was first published in the Autumn 2024 issue of FEED.
