Live From FIFA World Cup: Fox Sports' Digital Team Finds Big Success With Live Social Streams
07/12/2022
Wednesday, December 7, 2022 - 3:03 pm
Print This Story
Wednesday marks the first off day in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It has been 17 consecutive days since the event got under way on Nov. 20. That's 17 lengthy days and lots of hard work for the many broadcasters onsite in Doha. For the growing team at Fox Sports Digital, it's a well-deserved breather.
Fox Sports Digital has been humming along like a steam train for the past two-plus weeks, with highlights of every goal, countless articles, and a robust schedule of live streams produced onsite in Qatar and distributed across the network's social channels, website, and mobile app.
Fox Sports Digital crew members work with on-air talent to plan out content segments for an episode of FIFA World Cup NOW from Fox Sports' set at the Doha Corniche in Qatar. (All photos: Fox Sports)
Most notably, Fox Sports has seen significant success from an ambitious live-streaming plan that delivers studio shows to the @FOXSoccer account on Twitter. According to Fox Sports, FIFA World Cup Now, the pre/postmatch show that streams exclusively to @FOXSoccer, garnered more than 50 million views on Twitter during the Group Stage. Shows surrounding the three USMNT Group Stage matches averaged a whopping 926,000 views; the remaining 88 shows average about 569,000.
By the end of the tournament, an incredible 128 live episodes of FIFA World Cup NOW will have been produced, a major chunk of the 160+ live shows produced exclusively for digital and social platforms.
It's definitely a grind, says Michael Bucklin, SVP, Digital, Fox Sports, but one of the things we generally believe is, these are get to' jobs, not have to' jobs. I think the team feels that way. They embrace that as a mantra and are excited to show up every day. A lot of times, I'll try to get in early, and they'll be in there before me. Plus, the coffee is really good here.
THE USMNT ADVANCES!!!! @JimmyConrad, @SachaKljestan, @DamarcusBeasley, @CobiJones and @WarrenBarton2 discuss the match on #WCNow!https://t.co/4puUxp13wJ
FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 29, 2022
The game plan for FIFA World Cup NOW is to be live for a 20-minute prematch show and then return for a 30-minute postmatch show. During the Group Stage, that meant being live nearly around the clock. This World Cup is the first to host four matches in a single Group Stage day, versus the previous three. During the 2018 Men's World Cup (in Russia), Fox streamed one Twitter show per day. This requires a massive increase in inventory. Not to mention that during the Group Stage, there's just over one hour between matches, meaning that FIFA World Cup NOW is essentially live for the entire break between matches.
From left: Jimmy Conrad, Warren Barton, and Sacha Klejestan are regular on-air contributors to FIFA World Cup NOW.
For Bucklin, setting a strategy for such a busy schedule means keeping program rundowns simple: give everyone on the team - from on-air talent to behind-the-scenes crew - clear, defined goals that allow easy repetition.
We know exactly what we're going to do every day, he points out. It's a very simple formula. We try to be as creative within that formula as we can. You're going to share every single goal of every single match in the World Cup. When that happens, it's quick. You're going to focus your creativity on what the copy is going to be or how you're going to sell it on the website or the app, but you're not going to spend any time thinking about what you have to cut.
You can be more creative when you're in a smaller box, he continues. When you create that smaller box, simpler rundowns, simpler social-content plans, simpler editorial plans, you can be significantly more creative in that smaller box. You also become more efficient.
FIFA World Cup NOW - as well as live episodes of the daily State of the Union Podcast with Alexi Lalas and David Mosse - are overseen in Doha by Ricardo Perez-Selsky, head of production and tech operations, Fox Sports Digital. The operations side is also supported onsite by Head of Technical Operations John Marcus, Head of Production Operations Thomas Meason, Technical Op Chris Cheshire, Production Ops Carla Gutierrez and Erin Schechter, and Camera Operator Jeremy Benbow. The production side is led by Head of Digital and Social Production Nick Rago, who is working with producers Sean Sullivan and Ryan Bartlett.
Fox Sports Digital's Ricardo Perez-Selsky in the digital team's control room in Doha
Bucklin praises the efforts of Perez-Selsky, who joined Fox just over three years ago after a run at successful pop-culture-media company POPSUGAR. Perez-Selsky, Bucklin says, has probably produced more live social streams than anyone alive and has just completely transformed what we've done.
Bucklin adds, We are just so clean with Ric. When we're clean, we're confident, and, when we're confident, you can see it [on-air]. Our guys are having fun. They can always hear their producer cleanly in their ear. They can always see a clean program return so they know what's on the screen so they can talk to it. Ric has brought this level of experience and expertise to our operation, [taking] us to the next level. I've been here for seven years and have done in the realm of a thousand live digital streams, social streams, and I feel confident this is, by far, the best we've ever been.
Episodes of FIFA World Cup NOW regularly feature appearances by hosts Jimmy Conrad and Melissa Ortiz and former USMNT players Sacha Kljestan and Da
LINK: | https://www.sportsvideo.org/2022/12/07/live-from-fifa-world-cup-fox-sp... |
See more stories from svg |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
02/05/2024
Reality Slips Away in the Eerie I Saw the TV Glow
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 18: Jane Schoenbrun introduces the 2024 Sundance Film Festival I Saw the TV Glow premiere at the Library Center Theatre in Park City...
02/05/2024
Meet the 10 Hampton University Students Receiving Spotify NextGen's Scholarship
Spotify is committed to amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups, and th...
02/05/2024
Advertisers and Creators Come Together at Our First-Ever Spotify Sparks in London
With more than 600 million users around the world tuned in to Spotify, there'...
02/05/2024
Gear up for the 2024 Cycling Grand Tours on Australia's Home of Cycling, SBS
Gear up for the 2024 Cycling Grand Tours on Australia's Home of Cycling, SBS Media releases All of the rivalry begins with the Giro d'Italia this we...
02/05/2024
New SBS documentary dives into one of Australia's greatest underdog stories of all time!
New SBS documentary dives into one of Australia's greatest underdog stories ...
02/05/2024
Alone Australia cements its place as one of Australia's biggest hits of 2024
Alone Australia cements its place as one of Australia's biggest hits of 2024 2 May, 2024 Media releases Alone Australia has cemented its place as one o...
02/05/2024
The Making of All of Us Strangers
I always like to base my lighting choices in reality, says cinematographer Jamie D. Ramsay, SASC. For his recent collaboration with writer-director Andrew Haig...
02/05/2024
Hiltron Introduces Field-Upgradable Motorisation Kit for CPI 2385 Satcom Antenna
Accompanying image shows Hiltron's new HMAM-based field-upgradable motorisation kit for the CPI 2385 satellite communications antenna. Backnang, Germany,...
02/05/2024
Millennium Space Systems Selects L3Harris to Build Space Development Agency Electro-Optical Infrared Payloads
MELBOURNE, Fla., May 2, 2024 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) has received a c...
02/05/2024
Samba TV Launches New Generative AI Ad Solution
NEW YORK Samba TV is debuting new capabilities for Samba AI, the company's suite of generative AI technologies. Samba AI's new capabilities provide a re...
02/05/2024
Television Academy Foundation Names Anne Vasquez Executive Director
LOS ANGELES The Television Academy Foundation has announced the appointment of Anne Vasquez as its executive director effective May 13....
02/05/2024
SAG-AFTRA to License Nielsen Streaming Data
NEW YORK SAG-AFTRA has inked a deal with Nielsen to become its third-party provider of streaming content measurement and has announced that it will use the Niel...
02/05/2024
Cineverse Unveils Public Beta of AI-Powered cineSearch
LOS ANGELES Cineverse has debuted cineSearch, its previously announced new content search and discovery service in public Beta....
02/05/2024
Can AI find a way to reduce the broadcast industry's energy consumption?
OpenDrives Trevor Morgan asks if AI has the answer to making data centres for the media and entertainment industry more sustainable By Contributor Published:...
02/05/2024
Bill Baggelaar Asks the Questions: An Unfiltered Look at Media Supply Chain Transformation
Bill Baggelaar Asks the Questions: An Unfiltered Look at Media Supply Chain Tran...
02/05/2024
Two Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards
Two Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions. By...
02/05/2024
Viewers Call Finding New TV Content Frustrating' in Comcast Advertising Report
A majority of viewers 51% said the difficulty in finding new content on TV c...
02/05/2024
Programming Legend Art Moore Retiring After 53 Years With ABC Stations
Art Moore, who headed production of long-running syndicated series, including Live, said he plans to retire in September as VP of programming for WABC New York....
02/05/2024
Nexstar Will Move The CW Affiliation to WGN Chicago
Nexstar Media Group, which owns The CW, said the network's affiliation will be moving to Nexstar-owned WGN Chicago....
02/05/2024
Future Today Puts First Original Shows on Fawesome Channel (NewFronts)
Future Today said that it plans to launch the first original shows on its Fawesome streaming channel....
02/05/2024
Behind the Music' Returns on Paramount Plus
Behind the Music is back on Paramount Plus with new episodes May 1. Those profiled in the season two episodes are Bell Biv DeVoe, Trace Adkins and Wolfgang Van ...
02/05/2024
All American: Homecoming' Returns on The CW July 8
All American: Homecoming starts season three on The CW Monday, July 8, while season two of 61st Street kicks off Monday, July 22....
02/05/2024
Jerry Seinfeld's Pop-Tart Movie Starts on Netflix May 3
Unfrosted, a movie about the race to create a game-changing breakfast pastry, such as, say, the Pop-Tart, debuts on Netflix May 3. Jerry Seinfeld directs, his f...
02/05/2024
Former BT Sport COO Jamie Hindhaugh joins EMG / Gravity Media
Charlie Cubbon has also been appointed chief operating officer By Matthew Corrigan Published: May 2, 2024 Charlie Cubbon has also been appointed chief ope...
02/05/2024
Durable Goods Signs Lionel Coleman
Durable Goods Signs Lionel Coleman Brie Clayton May 2, 2024 0 Comments Durable Goods has signed multi-hyphenate director Lionel Coleman for commercial...
02/05/2024
Hitsujibungaku's Music Video GO!!! Shot by Kyotaro Hayashi with Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K
Hitsujibungaku's Music Video GO!!! Shot by Kyotaro Hayashi with Blackmagic C...
02/05/2024
Diamond Sports RSNs Go Dark On Comcast Systems
Bally Sports Regional Networks were taken off Comcast's systems on April 30 when their existing distribution agreement expired and Diamond Sports Group was ...
02/05/2024
Diamond Sports Group, DirecTV Renew Distribution Deal
SOUTHPORT, Conn. and EL SEGUNDO, Calif. Diamond Sports Group ( Diamond or the Company ) and DirecTV have announced that they have reached a multi-year renewal...
02/05/2024
Three Nexstar Stations to Become CW Affiliates
IRVING, Texas Nexstar Media Group has announced that its owned and operated television stations in Chicago, Illinois (DMA #3), Norfolk, Virginia (DMA #43), and ...
02/05/2024
FCC, FTC Ink Agreement to Cooperate on Net Neutrality Enforcement
WASHINGTON, D.C. The Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to coordinate consumer protection ...
02/05/2024
Haivision Celebrates 20th Anniversary
MONTREAL Haivision Systems Inc. is marking its 20th anniversary by detailing some of the accomplishments and developments that have helped the company become a ...
02/05/2024
Agora Introduces Adaptive Video Optimization Technology
SANTA CLARA, Calif. Agora today unveiled its Adaptive Video Optimization (AVO) technology that uses machine learning to adjust parameters dynamically at every s...
02/05/2024
Study: Streaming Market Is Saturated But Subscriptions Continue to Grow
NEW YORK Kantar has released a new study showing the U.S. streaming market has hit a saturation point, with the household penetration rate stagnating and at nea...
02/05/2024
Samba TV To Spotlight New Capabilities For Generative AI Ad Solution
NEW YORK Samba TV is debuting new capabilities for Samba AI, the company's suite of generative AI technologies, at the 2024 IAB (Interactive Advertising Bur...
02/05/2024
GSTV Pumps Up Research, Programming at NewFront
GSTV, the network that programs screens at gas stations, will be talking about new research and new programming at its NewFront presentation Wednesday....
02/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media Taps Jamie Hindhaugh To Head Up UK, US, Australia, and Middle East; Names Charlie Cubbon as COO
EMG / Gravity Media appoints Charlie Cubbon COO and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO...
02/05/2024
Watch SVG NEXT Conversations, Ep. 2: How XR and Other Emerging Technologies Are Transforming the Landscape of M&E'
Watch SVG NEXT Conversations, Ep. 2: How XR and Other Emerging Technologies Are...
02/05/2024
SVG Sit-Down: Program Productions' Bob Carzoli, Integrum's Kathy Reiland on the Strategy Behind the New Alliance
SVG Sit-Down: Program Productions' Bob Carzoli, Integrum's Kathy Reiland...
02/05/2024
YES Network App Logs Record Usership With New Expanded Pick-N-Play Live Interactivity, YES Rewards
YES Network App Logs Record Usership With New Expanded Pick-N-Play Live Interact...
02/05/2024
Rohde & Schwarz presents its test solutions at CCW 2024 that enable a successful migration to mission-critical broadband
Rohde & Schwarz presents its test solutions at CCW 2024 that enable a successful...
02/05/2024
Baselight training. Paris. Les Lapins Bleus. 27-31 May 2024
Baselight accredited training partner, Les Lapins Bleus, is conducting a five day Baselight training course in Paris in May. Location: Paris Dates: 27-31 May ...
02/05/2024
Skeem Saam: Wednesday's episode, 1 May 2024 [video]
Skeem Saam: Wednesday's episode, 1 May 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African soa...
02/05/2024
Prison Journalism: It's alright not to have
Prison Journalism: It's alright not to haveWesley Leong was incarcerated at the age of 15 in 1996 at Pollsmoor Prison. He is currently part of Restore's...
02/05/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Thandiswa's quest to reclaim Caesar's house intensifies
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Lulu navigates the complexities of her relationshi...
02/05/2024
GeForce NOW Delivers 24 A-May-zing Games This Month
GeForce NOW brings 24 new games for members this month. Ninja Theory's highly anticipated Senua's Saga: Hellblade II will be coming to the cloud soon -...
02/05/2024
NVIDIA AI Microservices for Drug Discovery, Digital Health Now Integrated With AWS
Harnessing optimized AI models for healthcare is easier than ever as NVIDIA NIM,...
02/05/2024
ARRI announces the ALEXA 35 Live - Multicam System
ARRI announces the ALEXA 35 Live - Multicam System posted: 02/05/2024 Arri Alexa 35 Live - Multicam System ARRI announces the ALEXA 35 Live - Multicam Sy...
02/05/2024
The Women': Author shines light on forgotten women in war
The Women': Author shines light on forgotten women in warThe bestselling author of The Nightingale', Kristin Hannah, has outdone herself with her new h...