Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Inside Facebook's Live-Streaming Infrastructure, Strategy for Select Champions League Matches

02/12/2020

Inside Facebook's Live-Streaming Infrastructure, Strategy for Select Champions League Matches Productions target viewers in Brazil and other Latin American countries By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor

Wednesday, December 2, 2020 - 7:00 am

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

After the Olympics and the World Cup, the UEFA Champions League is one of the most impressive multinational sports events in the world. Spectators from around the globe flock to their television sets to watch some of the greatest European clubs fight to crown themselves king of the continent. In the face of the pandemic, Facebook is still live-streaming select matches and serving high-quality, geo-specific content for fan ticos in Brazil and the rest of Latin America.

Our production is hitting a particular target audience in Brazil and Spanish-speaking Latin America, says Melissa Lawton, global lead, sports production, Facebook. We're focusing on what those audiences want to see, and that's what we think Facebook is ideal for.

Global Game: Engineering Invests in Reliable Equipment, Constructs Redundancies Although a typical Facebook feed is still populated by videos of neighbors, friends, and relatives, the social-media platform has gradually become a destination for large-scale live productions and other large events. Since obtaining exclusive rights in the summer of 2018, the company has enhanced its tech arsenal to provide top-notch viewing of these global matches.

We've been investing in broadcasting over the last couple of years to ensure that these events go off without a hitch and play nicely with the rest of our production ecosystem, says Michael Martinez, software engineering manager, Facebook. Reliability and quality are extremely important for these major sporting events.

Facebook is using polls to spur interest from viewers, who cast a vote on who will win the match.

Key to this push to live-stream more widespread competitions is development of a durable infrastructure for ingest and delivery, which includes ample satellite and fiber paths to receive these international feeds. Unlike productions with localized content recorded and captured with a mobile device or computer, these productions leverage a larger technological footprint.

We have multiple cameras and encoding equipment onsite, Martinez explains, but we've also implemented another set of encoders so that we can take in these high-bandwidth signals from different venues. We can get those [feeds] processed down to a format that we can handle in multiple ways. So not only do we need to be able to ingest that signal, [but] we need to ingest it from multiple sources.

With signals and feeds coming in from locations all over the globe, the engineering team has created backup plans and an extensive system for real-time monitoring to ensure that the digital user is experiencing an interrupted match. During the broadcast, Martinez and his team are in constant communication to convey any setup, ingest, processing, or distribution issues that they see along the assembly line.

We have people watching [our live stream] inside of a tool that can actually switch between our encoders that we have onsite, he adds. We're also working very closely with mobile operators on events that have a high concentration of viewers, so, ultimately, the quality of the experience stays very high. For example, we need to create more low-end bitrate lanes in our ABR profiles to apply more bits to those lower-resolution [streams].

Live Experience: Digital Broadcast Focuses on Time-Sensitive Polling, Catered Content On the Brazilian feed, the live stream asks questions about Brazil-born Neymar, including whether he will play a lot or a little in the match.

The behind-the-scenes technology is allowing the production team to create an engaging live environment for viewers tuning into each match. During any given match, pop-ups and numerous other opportunities for interactivity, such as polling and the ability to ask questions, are displayed on the screen before and during the live stream.

Polling has been really interesting, says Lawton. We learned that 20 polls over 90 minutes didn't work and the audience didn't like it. We worked with the team to make sure that we were hitting the right people at the right time with a poll, and we saw massive numbers in a single game. We want to break down that glass' that's between the commentators and the viewers.

This new strategy is transforming the way fans are interacting with these live streams. For example, during the 2020 Final between Germany's Bayern Munich and France's Paris Saint-Germain, more than 4.8 million people casted a vote through the Facebook polling function. The interest of fans is being retained for longer periods of time as well, with viewers who voted in a poll watching the Final 55% longer than those who didn't.

Since viewers in Latin America are targeted, the streams highlight players who come from specific regions. One of the most well-known players in the world, Neymar, represents the perfect mixture of a famous Brazilian playing in the competition. When his team, Paris Saint-Germain, is featured on the Facebook live streams, the team keys on Neymar-related polls and predictive questions as well as on additional content on Instagram.

When Neymar arrives with his headphones on before a match, everyone on the Brazilian feed wants to know what song he's listening to, says Julia Vieira, senior manager, Sports Latam Executive Production, WarnerMedia. We do a lot of things to create buzz around that by having different singers say that he's listening to their song. We also produce things like Instagram filters to drive attention to those games. It's not only about the 90-minute broadcast but also about h
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2020/12/02/inside-facebooks-live-streaming...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

08/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 1

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 1By SVG Staff Monday, December 8, 2025 - 6:56 am Print This Story | Subscribe Story Highlights The 2025...

08/12/2025

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Bill Rasmussen, the Entrepreneur Who Dreamed Sports Into a New World

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Bill Rasmussen, the Entrepreneur Who Drea...

08/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Live Production Innovation Workshop Goes Deep on ST 2110, MXL, AR/XR, and More

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Live Production Innovation Workshop Goes Deep on ST 211...

08/12/2025

#GALSNGEAR Announces East, West Leadership Retreats for 2026

#GALSNGEAR Announces East, West Leadership Retreats for 2026By Ken Kerschbaumer Monday, December 8, 2025 - 9:10 am Print This Story | Subscribe Story High...

08/12/2025

MediaKind Acquiring Harmonic's Video Business to Create New Streaming-Video Heavyweight

MediaKind Acquiring Harmonic's Video Business to Create New Streaming-Video ...

08/12/2025

Platinum White Paper: Sony HDR/SDR Camera Shading Techniques for Live Production Applications

Platinum White Paper: Sony HDR/SDR Camera Shading Techniques for Live Production...

08/12/2025

SVG Sit-Down: NESN's Kenny Elcock and Harmonic's Jean Macher Talk Next-Gen Distribution for Live Sports

SVG Sit-Down: NESN's Kenny Elcock and Harmonic's Jean Macher Talk Next-G...

08/12/2025

Monsters Funday Football,' ESPN's Latest Live Animation Effort, Advances the Altcast Art Form Again

Monsters Funday Football,' ESPN's Latest Live Animation Effort, Advances...

08/12/2025

SVG Sit-Down: ESPN Director Jeff Nelson on Calling the (Animated) Action on Monsters Funday Football'

SVG Sit-Down: ESPN Director Jeff Nelson on Calling the (Animated) Action on Mon...

08/12/2025

Monsters Funday Football': Louisiana Philharmonic Delivers Again With Orchestral Mashup of MNF' Theme and Monsters, Inc.' Score

Monsters Funday Football': Louisiana Philharmonic Delivers Again With Orches...

08/12/2025

Always Was, Always Will Be Strength, Survival and Pride this January 26 on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand

Always Was, Always Will Be Strength, Survival and Pride this January 26 on NITV,...

08/12/2025

Nielsen Audience Segments Now Available in Amazon DSP & Amazon Marketing Cloud

Nielsen's robust data offering enables marketers to connect with their target audience more effectively and drive better results throughout Amazon's adv...

08/12/2025

Paramount Launches Hostile Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK Paramount has launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery with an all-cash tender offer to acquire all of the outstandin...

08/12/2025

ASG Names Macky Beheshti Director, Enterprise Storage and Systems

EMERYVILLE, Calif. Media and entertainment technology and services provider Advanced Systems Group has named Macky Beheshti as director, enterprise storage and ...

08/12/2025

MediaKind to Acquire Harmonic's Video Business for $145M

DENVER MediaKind, a global provider of cloud-based video streaming technology announced today that it is acquiring the video business of Harmonic Inc. for appro...

08/12/2025

Nielsen Audience Segments Now Available in Amazon Ads Marketplace

NEW YORK Nielsen has announced that its Audience Segments from Nielsen Marketing Cloud (NMC) are now available across the Amazon Ads marketplace, including the ...

08/12/2025

Marshall Electronics Highlights CV355 27X ND3 Camera With...

Marshall Electronics showcases the CV355-27X-ND3 Optical Zoom NDI (NDI HX2, NDI HX3) Camera at ISE 2026 (Booth 4N900). Designed for users seeking high-quality ...

08/12/2025

Cinnafilm Launches Tachyon LIVE and IPx LIVE - Real-Time...

Cinnafilm today announced the immediate availability of IPx LIVE and Tachyon LIVE, delivering broadcast-grade, real-time IP video transcoding and motion-compens...

08/12/2025

Hiltron Sees Expanding Demand for Satcom Systems Througho...

Following a successful 45th anniversary year in 2024, Hiltron reports increasing demand for its wide range of satellite communication equipment manufacturing, p...

08/12/2025

Your Holiday Checklist Essentials

When was the last time you updated your default playlist(s)? A default playlist keeps your station(s) on the air should your team ever miss a step in sending mu...

08/12/2025

VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan Breaks Ground for Hyper Cloud Data Center to Offer Sovereign Enterprise, AI and Digital Services

08 Dec 2025 VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan Breaks Ground for Hyper Cloud Data Ce...

08/12/2025

Netflix ISP Speed Index for November 2025

Back to All News Netflix ISP Speed Index for November 2025 Product 08 December 2025 Global Link copied to clipboard This month marks 15 years of the Netfl...

08/12/2025

Another Exciting Chapter in Our Book-to-Screen Journey and What's to Come

Back to All News Another Exciting Chapter in Our Book-to-Screen Journey and What's to Come Entertainment 08 December 2025 Global Link copied to clipboa...

08/12/2025

Harmonic Announces Pending Sale of Its Video Business to MediaKind

Strategic and transformative transaction would sharpen Harmonic's focus on its core Broadband business and advance its growth initiatives Ensures continued...

08/12/2025

N-Series elevates performances at one-of-a kind jazz gastropub - The Epicurus

Copenhagen's The Epicurus is a one-of-a-kind Jazz Gastropub that presents exclusive performances curated by Jazz Pianist and Producer Sir Niels Lan Doky. Fe...

08/12/2025

Arvato Systems receives gematik approval for TI-Messenger tim+

Arvato Systems Receives gematik-approval for TI-Messenger tim Approval secured for TI Messenger tim - paving the way for secure and interoperable communicat...

08/12/2025

Eurovision legend Niamh Kavanagh revealed as first contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2026

Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh is the first celebrity to be revealed for the s...

08/12/2025

The RT Toy Show Appeal raises over 30 million in 6 Years

Changing children's lives for good: A staggering 4.6 million raised in the 2025 appeal The people of Ireland and people all over the world have once again...

08/12/2025

Daddy's dancing: Paudie Moloney revealed as second contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2026

It's murder on the dancefloor as The Traitors Ireland legend Paudie Moloney ...

07/12/2025

Netflix Takes Over the Oslo Skyline With Celebratory 'Troll 2' Light Show

Back to All News Netflix Takes Over the Oslo Skyline With Celebratory Troll 2 L...

06/12/2025

L3Harris Chair and CEO Appears on CNBC at Reagan National Defense Forum

In a live broadcast from the Reagan National Defense Forum, L3Harris Chair and CEO Christopher Kubasik joined Morgan Brennan on CNBCs Closing Bell: Overtime. Ku...

06/12/2025

Survey: M&E Embraces Horizontally Integrated Media Archiving Approach

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. A new survey from Pixitmedia by Datacore revealed a major shift in the Media & Entertainment industry in media archiving, with 85% of resp...

06/12/2025

Czech TV Deploys LiveU Solutions in 10 OB Vans

HACKENSACK, N.J. LiveU has announced that the national public broadcaster Czech Television has completed one of the largest LiveU live production deployments fo...

06/12/2025

NATAS Celebrates 76th Technology & Engineering Emmy Award Honorees

NEW YORK The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) presented the Excellence in Production Technology Emmy Award to NASA+ and Dr. Tom Leight...

05/12/2025

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nationally and Regionally

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nati...

05/12/2025

SVG Sit-Down: Veritone's Sean King on the Power of Mining Video, Audio Data

SVG Sit-Down: Veritone's Sean King on the Power of Mining Video, Audio DataThe company's Data Refinery offers users total control and governance over da...

05/12/2025

Platinum White Paper: Inside the Nashville Predators' Unified, Flexible, Scalable Production System with Ross Video

Platinum White Paper: Inside the Nashville Predators' Unified, Flexible, Sca...

05/12/2025

Netflix Reaches Agreement To Acquire Warner Bros. Following Planned WBD Split

Netflix Reaches Agreement To Acquire Warner Bros. Following Planned WBD SplitThe deal does not include WBDs sports assets like TNT Sports (US, UK, LatAm), Euros...

05/12/2025

FOX Sports Returns to Indianapolis for Primetime Broadcast of Big Ten Championship

FOX Sports Returns to Indianapolis for Primetime Broadcast of Big Ten Championsh...

05/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Digital Engagement & Monetization Workshop Tackles the Future of the Viewer Experience

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Digital Engagement & Monetization Workshop Tackles the ...

05/12/2025

Atlanta United Lights Up New Emory Healthcare Studio With First Live Broadcast for World Cup Draw

Atlanta United Lights Up New Emory Healthcare Studio With First Live Broadcast f...

05/12/2025

As Messi Takes the Pitch, MLS, Apple, NEP Roll Out Largest MLS Cup Production Ever

As Messi Takes the Pitch, MLS, Apple, NEP Roll Out Largest MLS Cup Production Ev...

05/12/2025

ESPN Enters College Football's Most Intense Month With Elevated Workflows for Championship Week

ESPN Enters College Football's Most Intense Month With Elevated Workflows fo...

05/12/2025

Sorry, Baby, Peter Hujar's Day, Among Sundance Institute-Supported Projects Nominated for 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards

It's about that time! Awards season is in full swing, and the Film Independe...

05/12/2025

Surprised by Your 2025 Wrapped? Here's a Look at How the Data Comes to Life

Every year, Spotify Wrapped offers a personalized look back at the audio that defined your year. It's a snapshot of your listening habits, designed to tell ...

05/12/2025

Celebrating Spotify's GLOW, RADAR, and EQUAL Artists of 2025

In 2025, Spotify's EQUAL, GLOW, and RADAR programs celebrated women, LGBTQIA , and emerging artists who turned moments into milestones. From breaking record...

05/12/2025

Wi-Fi 7 - Go Beyond Speed to Deliver Security, Trust and Value

In our latest blog, we explain how Wi-Fi 7 rollouts can drive consumer loyalty with value-add services such as consumer cybersecurity. We also explore how this ...

05/12/2025

Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. in Deal Worth $82.7 Billon

LOS ANGELES Netflix announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion....

05/12/2025

Gracenote Launches New CTV Ad Platform

NEW YORK Nielsens Gracenote has launched Gracenote Content Connect, a new ad platform that provides agencies, brands, supply-side platforms (SSPs) and demand-si...