IMAGINING A WHOLE NEW WAY TO WATCH LIVE SPORT

THE CHALLENGE

How might we create a whole new way to watch, participate and engage with live sports?

This new approach was aimed at under 25 year olds, which the majority do not have their own Sky Sports subscriptions so use other means, such as illegal streams, to watch. This brief was to explore ways that we could encourage this demographic to buy into the Sky Sports ecosystem by offering a richer experience.

RESEARCH

To kick off the project we looked at other streaming services to see what they offered, that maybe Sky Sports do not. One service that stuck out heavily was Twitch. Twitch is a live streaming service that focuses on video game live streaming, including broadcasts of esports competitions. After running research sessions with avid Twitch users and general sports fans, we came across a number of findings that shaped our approach.

It was interesting to learn that Twitch users aren’t using the site for it’s functionality alone. They are mainly drawn to the actual personality or personalities, rather than the great features. This is something that had previously been overlooked – along with plenty of other principles that came out of the focus group.

There were also some comparisons to be drawn between Twitch users and Sky Sports subscribers. Generally speaking, gaming fans are interested in a certain genre of games, for example first person shooters. Within those genres users will be fans of certain teams or individuals that play those games. This is exactly the same for sports fans who are interested in a certain sport i.e. football, and within that have their favourite team or player.

There were personal characteristics that are similar between Twitch users and sports fans. All of the Twitch users we spoke to were passionate about the gaming and the Streamers they follow. They are loyal and committed, viewing as much content by their favourite streamers as possible. The dedication is highlighted by paying monthly subscriptions, when they could watch for free. These are all characteristics seen in sports fans.

Another comparison to draw is the live event experience. While one takes place virtually and the other in person, they are remarkably similar. One similarity is the atmosphere created by the fans. The emotion and passion on show in the public chat channel of a large stream is directly comparable to fans at a football match. The chat is often fast, and hard to view, but this is no different to football fans chanting and cheering on their team from the terraces.

THE OUTCOME

After exploring multiple ideas, we decided to explore a concept we were all confident would tick a lot of boxes. The concept was a whole new streaming product, which leaned heavily on the findings from our research. The product, called Squad, aimed at bridging the gap between watching a live event and providing a second screen experience, all in one place.

We challenged ourselves to create a viable Proof of Concept within 4 weeks. This would enable us to test with users from the target audience to gain more understanding.

The core feature that the product had to deliver was an unrivalled live sports streaming experience. We lifted and shifted some great features from the Sky Sports app, such as scrollable timeline and rich data feeds. Other features included:

COMMUNITY

We needed a way to encourage fans to build their squad and chat with friends, fans or the opposition. Experience the game as if they were at the ground. We did this by incentivising users to bring their mates onto the platform with referral rewards. Once on the platform, users could chat with their ‘squad’ or join other official and non official channels.

PARTNERS

Another principle we wanted to harness was a desire to bring partners onboard. Fresh opinions or familiar views. New voices and alternative commentary from a wide community of fans gives you all you need to stay informed. We did this by allowing fans to select an alternative commentary stream from a content partner. Partners would also have their own profiles with the ability to create custom content.

ENGAGEMENT

We needed the product to be highly engaging, to rival watching an illegal stream, we needed to offer more engagement opportunities. Replays and other highlights on demand. Participation through polls, quizzes, predictions and betting. By rewarding users for participating in engagements with rewards and experience points, we encouraged users to get involved.

Finally, we explored if the platform could be used for other non sporting events, such as watching the latest Game of Thrones or Election Night coverage.