WWE Network took the big prize at the 2020 SportsPro OTT Awards as it picked up Platform of the Year.
Decided by an expert judging panel – comprising senior stakeholders from international rights holders, broadcasters and technology leaders – the WWE was commended for showing continued relevance, scale across all platforms, and an ability to engage fans in multiple countries. The US-based FloSports service took the silver prize in that category. PAOK TV, the Greek soccer giants’ in-house streaming platform, claimed bronze.
Eleven Sports enjoyed a great night, picking up two awards for its Belgian platform. Andrea Radrizzani’s sports media company took home the prizes for Best New Platform and, for the second year running, Best Digital First Production.
NEO Studios, another company under Radrizzani’s Aser Ventures umbrella, also took home the bronze award in the Best Original Content category, which was won by Chelsea for the six-part Frank Lampard: Coming Home docuseries.
The coveted Innovation of the Year award went to Eurosport’s Cube for its compelling use of XR and AR to increase fan engagement.
La Liga and Two Circles can be proud of retaining their respective titles in Best In Anti-Piracy and Best Marketing Campaign. PAOK TV, which also took the bronze prize in the Best New Platform, finished as runner up in the Best Marketing Campaign.
In a year where the pandemic has seen streaming services in demand like never before, the Best Lockdown Solution award was created to recognise the most innovative content strategy or technology development for assisting sports through the Covid-19 crisis. Here, The R&A’s The Open for the Ages platform took gold. Judges praised the service for bringing golf up to date in a digital world and bridging age demographics.
Elsewhere, WSC Sports took home the Best Tech Company prize; Minute.ly pipped HiWay Media to the Best Start Up Tech Company Prize; and Blackbird won Emerging Tech Company of the Year.
In the Best In Fan Engagement category, LTN Global took home the gold prize, whilst Best User Experience went to Apadmi & SailGP for the SailGP App, and Best Use of Social Media went to the Olympic Channel.
This year’s virtual OTT Awards ceremony marked the start of the 2020 OTT Summit, with two days of insightful content scheduled across 2nd and 3rd December.
