SVG Digital Engagement Forum Tackles Current Industry Topics, Evolving Media Landscape

200 professionals headed to NYC to engage in discussions on where this sector of the industry is going

Formerly the SVG Sports OTT Forum, 200 industry professionals from leagues, teams, broadcasters, and manufacturers attended the 2024 SVG Digital Engagement Forum in New York City on Wednesday, March 20. With the growing trend of engagement through means like live streaming, advanced data integration, interactivity, gamification, alternate video feeds, and more, the day-long event was dedicated to showcasing the technologies and creative visions that are delivering can’t miss experiences for domestic and international sports fans.

200 industry professionals attended the 2024 SVG Digital Engagement Forum in New York City on March 20.

State of Affairs: Industry Executives Analyze the Current Condition of the Market

As the digital landscape constantly changes, and new workflows make an impact on the sports-video-production community, media entities are put into a precarious situation in regard to making the right investment. In this unique roundtable discussion, key leaders shared how the proliferation of live streaming, the dominance of mobile, and the desire of fans to get more from their sports is providing our industry with a wealth of opportunity.

A New Age for Thursday Night Football: A Morning Keynote with Amazon Prime Video

Over the past few years, Prime Video has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in live sports, both in the United States and globally. With the second season of Thursday Night Football under its belt — and with a wealth of other live sports properties to deliver — what innovations are the emerging powerhouse delivering to drive deeper engagement in the live game? Prime Video’s VP of Live Sports Product and Engineering Eric Orme offered an industry insider’s look at TNF, Prime Video Sports, and the present and future of live sports streaming.

Catering to Every Viewer: A Conversation on Data, Interactivity, and Personalization

From real-time data overlays and alternate feeds to the ability to interact with games or chat with friends, the live sports streaming experience is taking engagement in the broadcast to new depths. In this panel discussion, industry leaders share their experiences in enhancing the live game and offer their opinions on what future innovations are worth looking into further.

Automated Social: Leaning on AI and Machine Learning to Handle the Deluge of Content

Fans appetites for sports content –  live, highlights, or otherwise – is insatiable. Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and other tools are fueling a more sophisticated era of automation in live content. Execs from the USGA, AWS, and Comcast Technology Solutions dissect how sports content owners are using these workflows to generate more content than ever and what the future looks like.

Entertaining the In-Venue Fan: Powering Live and Real-Time Experiences for the Stadium

Competition with the at-home viewing experience is fierce. Simultaneously, though, sports fans are valuing in-person experiences in today’s world. Whether its video delivery made possible by 5G, hyper-personalized content offerings for users on mobile, or simply keeping fans updated with everything they’d want to know from around the venue or around the league: how are technologies bringing a new layer of excitement to attending a live sports event? In-venue professionals from the New York Islanders and The Famous Group were joined by experts from Red5 and Verizon to answer this important question.

On a Global Scale: HBS Dives Deep Into Finding Authentic Voices on the Digital Frontlines

HBS is one of the world’s largest host broadcasters, overseeing the global production and distribution of massive events, scaling up to as large as the FIFA World Cup. In today’s world, though, host broadcasters are called upon to provide far more than just the match to its many rightsholders. In a special case study, HBS’s Executive Producer of Digital Tim Stott breaks down their distribution strategy and how influencer partnerships have played a role in their success.

What’s Next for the Worldwide Leader: An Afternoon Keynote With ESPN

ESPN is at the forefront of building and delivering new and exciting ways for fans to consume their favorite sports live. In this afternoon keynote, ESPN’s Director of Business Development & Innovation Allison Loucks describes how the network is tapping into technology and analytics to fuel experiences and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Jumping Into FAST: Inside the Trend’s Emergence

FAST, or free advertising supported streaming television, is exploding across the entertainment industry and major sports brands are beginning to either explore their options or making the leap. Knowledgeable vendors and manufacturers took the stage to highlight the business growth that is offered by FAST, what technologies are fueling the services, and how media companies are utilizing them as a valuable product in their digital distribution portfolio.

The Tech Ins and Outs: Vendors Discuss the Maturation of Streaming Services

With opportunities aboard a core truth remains in the world of live streaming and digital video delivery at scale: performance matters. How are technologies under the hood of the some of the industry’s most successful streaming services evolving and what new developments will help move the business forward? Leaders from some of the industry’s leading tech vendors offer their latest updates in a primer for this year’s NAB Show.

The 2024 SVG Digital Engagement Forum was made possible by Title Sponsor Edgio; Gold Sponsors Eluvio, Red5, and TAG Video Systems; Silver Sponsor Evergent; and Case Study Sponsors Amagi, Harmonic, and Signiant.