55 XTREME DAZN
ew online video start-ups have generated as much buzz as DAZN (pronounced “Da Zone” – you’re welcome). The
OTT Asia Summit in March, DAZN Group’s executive VP for Japan, Martyn Jones, delivered the opening keynote presentation. In his talk, which featured a discussion with Masaaki Kimura, senior managing director of Japan Professional Football League, a DAZN partner, Jones revealed: “Our plan I think at this point is that we would like to house those rights (for Southeast Asia) within DAZN from next season.” The DAZN expansion strategy is aggressive and robust, with a clearly global ambition. With other companies having done some of the mapping of how to do a high-quality streaming service, DAZN is trying to speed ahead to beat its competition (and there is competition – Kayo in Australia has also billed itself as “a Netflix for sports”). “DAZN is leading the charge to give sports fans around the world affordable access to sport anytime, anywhere, live and on demand. As a result, we’re constantly looking at a new range of ways to bring content to fans. For example, last year marked the first 4K live broadcast on DAZN, streaming the J.League final in Japan. We’re also continuing to innovate with the content we deliver fans, ramping up our original programming with the likes of In Our Blood – a three-part documentary series exploring Spain’s passion for MotoGP through the generations, featuring MotoGP World Champions Àlex Crivillé, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Márquez.” GETTING RIGHTS RIGHT The acquisition of rights is essential for the success of any sports service. DAZN has
service offers on-demand and live content covering a wide variety of sports and has established itself at the forefront of sports VOD offerings in a short amount of time. DAZN first launched in August 2016 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Japan. It has since added service in Italy, Canada, USA and Brazil with a rollout imminent in Spain. The Spain launch will premiere with MotoGP, English Premier League and Euroleague Basketball as the first rights broadcast on the platform. Pete Parmenter, SVP of business development at DAZN, is bullish about the company’s rapid expansion. “We’re continuing to grow rapidly,” he told FEED. “We’re now live in nine countries on four continents. In the past two years we’ve evolved to become the biggest sports broadcaster in the world by volume, streaming a record 250 million hours to fans in 2018. In terms of success, DAZN is now the number one sport broadcaster in Japan, and since launching in Italy in August 2018, we’re already the country’s number two sport broadcaster.” EXPANSION STRATEGY The service is said to be eyeing a roll out into Southeast Asia. DAZN owns Champions League rights in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines, but has yet to offer service in those countries, with rights currently sub-licensed out to local broadcast partners. At the Sports Pro
DAZN OF THUNDER For DAZN, a focus on mobile technology is crucial, and a big enabler of the company’s growth. While US and European viewers tend to watch sport on TV, in Southeast Asia and the developing world, engaging with sport through mobile devices is very much the norm
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