Optus, the Australian telecoms group, broke its own audience records during coverage of Saturday’s all-English Uefa Champions League final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Optus, which is owned by Singapore telecoms giant Singtel, reported that its exclusive online telecast of the final of Europe’s premier club soccer competition generated 16.5 million live streaming minutes, representing a 20 per cent increase on the previous record set during the company’s coverage of the 2018/19 Premier League season.
The Champions League final audience also helped Optus achieve a 150 per cent rise in unique weekly viewers year-on-year.
Corin Dimopoulos, executive head, TV and content, Optus said: “We’re delighted with the massive growth of Optus Sport this year and with the amazing feedback we’ve had from viewers.
“Our broadcast has delivered non-stop thrills and drama and resonated strongly with the large number of football fans in Australia.”
Richard Bayliss, Optus Sport executive producer, added: “Our live European football coverage is all about taking viewers to places they’ve never been before.
“That access, combined with studio coverage we’re extremely proud of, has given Australian audiences analysis and reaction from across the continent which enhances our live broadcast of every match.”
The figures come as a significant boost for Optus after repeated disruptions to its streaming coverage of the 2018 Fifa World Cup led to it sublicensing its rights – which included exclusive coverage in Australia to 39 matches – to SBS, the country’s free-to-air broadcaster.
SBS was only set to show 25 live matches but was ultimately allowed to show the entire tournament after Optus’ coverage was dogged by buffering and constant lag. The telco, which reportedly paid AUS$8 million (US$5.5 million) for full live rights to the World Cup, subsequently made its platform available for free until the end of August 2018 and refunded customers.
Despite the issues, Optus was still able to secure a deal last summer to show the Uefa Champions League and Europa League through 2021, and is now reaping the rewards with its latest audience figures. Taking into account Optus’ coverage of both competitions, combined with its rights to broadcast the Premier League, it has streamed more than 1,500 hours of live soccer in the last year.
Optus’ soccer streaming continues this summer with the finals of the Uefa Nations League and the Fifa Women’s World Cup, which gets underway on Friday.
The strategy of securing rights to some of soccer’s biggest competitions has seen Optus’ revenues climb. Last month, it reported 10.28 million mobile subscribers and mobile revenue of AUS$6 billion (US$4.1 billion) compared to 9.43 million subscribers and AUS$5.5 billion (US$3.8 billion) in 2015.
European soccer's showpiece generated 16.5m live streaming minutes for Optus.
Optus, the Australian telecoms group, broke its own audience records during coverage of Saturday’s all-English Uefa Champions League final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Optus, which is owned by Singapore telecoms giant Singtel, reported that its exclusive online telecast of the final of Europe’s premier club soccer competition generated 16.5 million live streaming minutes, representing a 20 per cent increase on the previous record set during the company’s coverage of the 2018/19 Premier League season.
The Champions League final audience also helped Optus achieve a 150 per cent rise in unique weekly viewers year-on-year.
Corin Dimopoulos, executive head, TV and content, Optus said: “We’re delighted with the massive growth of Optus Sport this year and with the amazing feedback we’ve had from viewers.
“Our broadcast has delivered non-stop thrills and drama and resonated strongly with the large number of football fans in Australia.”
Richard Bayliss, Optus Sport executive producer, added: “Our live European football coverage is all about taking viewers to places they’ve never been before.
“That access, combined with studio coverage we’re extremely proud of, has given Australian audiences analysis and reaction from across the continent which enhances our live broadcast of every match.”
The figures come as a significant boost for Optus after repeated disruptions to its streaming coverage of the 2018 Fifa World Cup led to it sublicensing its rights – which included exclusive coverage in Australia to 39 matches – to SBS, the country’s free-to-air broadcaster.
SBS was only set to show 25 live matches but was ultimately allowed to show the entire tournament after Optus’ coverage was dogged by buffering and constant lag. The telco, which reportedly paid AUS$8 million (US$5.5 million) for full live rights to the World Cup, subsequently made its platform available for free until the end of August 2018 and refunded customers.
Despite the issues, Optus was still able to secure a deal last summer to show the Uefa Champions League and Europa League through 2021, and is now reaping the rewards with its latest audience figures. Taking into account Optus’ coverage of both competitions, combined with its rights to broadcast the Premier League, it has streamed more than 1,500 hours of live soccer in the last year.
Optus’ soccer streaming continues this summer with the finals of the Uefa Nations League and the Fifa Women’s World Cup, which gets underway on Friday.
The strategy of securing rights to some of soccer’s biggest competitions has seen Optus’ revenues climb. Last month, it reported 10.28 million mobile subscribers and mobile revenue of AUS$6 billion (US$4.1 billion) compared to 9.43 million subscribers and AUS$5.5 billion (US$3.8 billion) in 2015.
Getty Images
