Globecast employs IP and cloud distribution for Malaga Premier Padel P1 By David Davies
Monday, July 15, 2024 - 15:59
Print This Story
In a year that is expected to be instrumental in driving the growth of racket sport padel around the world, broadcast services company Globecast has revealed that, as of early 2024, it has been supporting the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour - which included a stop in Malaga, Spain last week (6-14 July) - with an IP/cloud distribution model that utilises the SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) video streaming protocol.
Sharing the same scoring system as tennis, but with different rules and enclosed courts, padel was first played in Mexico in 1969. In the past five years, however, it has enjoyed a massive surge in popularity, in large part due to its suitability for outdoor play with no physical contact tallying neatly with Covid-era requirements. Professionally, the sport has ramped up significantly since 2023, when Premier Padel acquired the rival World Padel Tour to create a new unified pro circuit that encompasses 25 tournaments across 17 countries and five continents.
There has also been a decisive shift in the distribution and delivery model deployed by Globecast, which has been supporting the broadcast of Premier Padel tournaments since October 2022. First implemented earlier this year, the new approach - which eschews the previous satellite-based model - is currently in use at the latest stop on the Premier Padel Tour, Malaga Premier Padel P1.
Steve MacMurray, digital media development manager contribution at Globecast, recalls the major milestones to date of the collaboration with Premier Padel. Originally we were supplying them with a more traditional, wide beam European satellite and downlink model, which was then passed on to terrestrial fibre for their takers, he says. That was a very robust and reliable solution, but as with a lot of racket sports you have to overbook to ensure you get the capacity you need. Games can be wrapped up really quickly or go on for hours, so it does pose a bit of a headache in terms of provisioning capacity, especially during the traditional pinch-points on Saturday and Sunday when all of the other sports are in the mix.
So there was already an impetus towards a more flexible approach when Premier Padel expanded its number of events from 8 to 25 at the start of 2024. Doing a lift and shift' towards an IP/cloud distribution model seemed like a perfect fit for a number of reasons, with network contention probably being the primary one, says MacMurray. It took quite a bit of groundwork to get the confidence of everybody, but we made sure that we weren't rushing it through. There was a really good element of constructive dialogue and a lot of credit should go to Premier Padel for having the kind of foresight and confidence in us to deliver a real paradigm shift in their distribution model.
A universal language
The SRT video transport protocol was part of the new distribution model from a formative stage. There is now a large fluency with SRT, [to the point] that it's very much become a universal language and broadcast standard in terms of IP delivery, says MacMurray. It's open-source technology, so it's very accessible and the barrier to entry is very low, while operationally it's very sound and robust. [In the case of Premier Padel] a lot of the takers were already conversant with receiving SRT for live sports content.
The move to IP also ensured that Premier Padel would have the ease of scalability befitting a tour whose broadcast market is still growing rapidly. Taking into account the increase in capacity and the ramping-up of the tournament, the IP/SRT delivery really made a lot of sense, says MacMurray, adding that at present 15 different broadcasters are taking primary court feeds from the new IP/cloud distribution platform.
Steve MacMurray, Globecast
There was extensive two-step testing before the first event with the new configuration, which was held in Riyadh in February. The first part was testing from Globecast to each individual end-taker to ensure that we were tailored to their particular firewall and security permissioning. [As opposed to adopting] a one test fits all' approach, doing it individually pays dividends as you can really get some dialogue going with the takers and ensure that everybody is comfortable. It also greatly reduces any potential anxiety, should there be any changes during the middle of a tournament.
Once the individual tests had been conducted and the integrity of delivery between the broadcast and broadcaster endpoints established, the second step entailed a full-end-to-end test with a host broadcaster and their platform output, going all the way through to us and beyond. At that point we had the parity to be able to really zero-in on any points that needed refinement very quickly, he adds.
With sufficient scalability and the ability to onboard more takers as interest grows , the Globecast team also benefited from the testing period taking place some time before the new tour got underway. Instead of having to run things kind of in parallel with the satellite distribution, by taking that time out and reinventing things we could make sure that everyone was comfortable before any padel shots were fired in anger', so to speak, notes MacMurray.
Padel momentum
The inherent scalability of the new distribution model is set to prove invaluable if - as predicted - the sport continues to grow rapidly year-on-year. According to a recent MarketWatch report, the padel sports market is increasing at a CAGR of 7.5%, with its 2024 value of $222.3 million expected to hit $370.3 million by 2032. More imminently, the Padel Majors' held in Doha (February) and Rome (June) will be followed by three more - in Paris (30 September
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
12/05/2026
CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video and broadcast solutions, has appointed Randy Koeman as Sales Manager, Netherlands, marking anot...
12/05/2026
Taiwan Television has expanded its HD content ingest workflow capabilities by investing in the PlayBox Neo Suite - a leading multi-channel multi-server UHD/HD/S...
12/05/2026
Jigsaw24 is strengthening its media team with the appointment of Tom Laker as Client Director and Ashish Chauhan as Project Manager. These strategic hires bring...
12/05/2026
Broadcast playout leader showcases hybrid IP infrastructure and workflow automation with Videoland deployment as regional benchmark...
12/05/2026
dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its centralised approach to production workflows...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
Globecast employs IP and cloud distribution for Malaga Premier Padel P1 By David Davies 
