The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is the global governing body for tennis, overseeing international competitions, promoting the sport, and setting standards for rules and regulations worldwide.
The ITF needed a cost-effective solution that enabled them to broadcast matches that were happening in regionally specific parts of the world for its Billie Jean King and Davis cups.
The Challenge
Over 100 countries compete in both the Billie Jean King Cup and the Davis Cup with a high density of matches often taking place simultaneously in multiple locations across each cup.
The audience for these matches however is often only specific to the two nations competing. Due to this regional specificity, it was not cost-efficient for the ITF to distribute feeds of many of these matches by satellite since most matches would only be broadcast by two national broadcasters.
The ITF needed a network solution but did not have the core infrastructure or personnel to put one in place. Moreover, in keeping with the professional standards of the ITF, any solution would need to ensure consistent, high-quality feeds.
The Solution
The ITF leveraged Cingularity’s core network to develop an IP-driven solution with Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) encoding. Although the SRT-encoding increased the latency, Cingularity could reduce this by using its own global core network for intercontinental transport.
This ensured high reliability and security, which was essential to keep the quality of the feeds (and consequently the broadcasts) high.
To implement and manage the solution, Cingularity provided onsite personnel to connect venues with the core network and deliver pre-configured encoders for self-managed venues. By taking the time to understand the ITF’s operations, Cingularity could coordinate alongside the ATP, WTA, and ITF calendars to manage multiple feeds and distribute them to broadcasters.
Cingularity’s global team also offered a 24/7 follow-the-sun model for continuous support with teams in London and the Philippines, which was crucial given the nature of the cups’ international match-ups that often took place across multiple time zones.
The Outcome
After a short testing period with broadcasters to ensure readiness, the new solution went live. The shift from traditional satellite solutions enabled immediate cost-savings, as did reducing the need for onsite freelancers and engineers.
The new IP solution had fewer faults than previous solutions, meaning that broadcast feeds were higher quality, more consistent, and more reliable.
Broadcasters were also more satisfied as the 24/7 support model ensured that Cingularity immediately fixed any issues, and the system always had the appropriate levels of support.
Ultimately, the ITF established a trusted partnership with Cingularity, which delivered a consistent, high-quality service. Ultimately, this led to an enhanced broadcasting experience and opened opportunities for future IP-based solutions.
