Telstra is looking to pump more live ARL and NRL sport action to devices while also delivering a “live stadium” experience.
The move follows a major upgrade of several stadiums around Australia including the Adelaide Oval, Sydney Cricket Ground and ANZ Stadium, that has seen the carrier install beacon technology that will to deliver a superior Telstra 4G signal
During an interview with The Australian, Telstra director of media & content Adam Good revealed the Telco would use a new multi-screen connected ?stadium strategy as a linchpin to attract sports fans to its premium sports assets.
The Telco claims that they want to own the live-stadium ?experience at AFL and NRL matches.
Good claimed that Telstra has racked up 3.6 million downloads of its AFL and NRL apps on connected devices.
“We’ve been reasonably happy with the uptake, he said. “We continue to hold the customers that use that product and it continues to grow.”
“We’re seeing more people using their mobile devices pre- and post-game so were starting to look at ways our official app products can offer additional experiences,” Good said.
“With the new beacon technology we can trigger unique content experiences as you ?approach the stadium to enhance the live experience.”
In the USA where the concept was first developed American NFL fans can download content and order food and drink from their seats using state-of-the-art WI-Fi networks.
Good added “”A few years ago it was all about watching clips on a mobile screen but now with 4G being a very good delivery mechanism people are starting to watch match replays and on-demand content on the apps at the games.”
Telstra wants to drive more fans to its portfolio of apps, websites and IPTV (TV via internet) channels to generate larger subscription and advertising revenues for the carrier.
The Telco has pursued a pay lite business model with the Telstra T-Box and dedicated sports apps to avoid bumping up against Foxtel, in which the company has an equal share with News Corp Australia, publisher of The Australian.
Telstra said that they will collaboration with free-to-air TV networks and Foxtel instead of going head to head with them for expensive media rights.
Last year, Telstra joined the fray for Cricket Australia’s media rights, but when the price escalated amid a fierce bidding war between the Nine and Ten networks, Telstra stepped aside.
In a snub to the Olympic Federation Good said that the carrier was not interested in investing in future Olympic Games.
“We like more weeks in the year to sweat that asset so to speak,” Mr Good said.
