Over the years, technology has transformed how sports are broadcast, viewed, and interacted with. This year, cloud infrastructure, AI, and SSAI are looking to make a big impact on the future of sports broadcasting.
Table of contents
Cloud Infrastructure
Live streaming has long since been used to provide the audience with a real-time experience of something that would typically be engaged with in person. This includes everything from sports games to game shows, and even music concerts. However, these things are usually live-streamed in addition to a terrestrial stream through the classic channels.
That said, entertainment like live online casino games purely uses cloud infrastructure. For example, when UK players try their hand at blackjack at Paddy Power, like Live Majority Rules Blackjack, Live Quantum Plus Blackjack, and Live Power Blackjack, these games are played through a live stream, which is accessed through an online platform. This allows all players to access the entertainment through one stream, effectively boosting the scale and pace, allowing all players to get a streamlined experience.
With this in mind, there has been an increase in interest in only streaming sports through the cloud. This is because the games can be scaled rapidly, and surges in traffic can be handled without affecting the quality or reliability of the video. One of the first events to do this was an NFL playoff game in 2024, which led to the “biggest subscriber acquisition moment ever measured”, according to CNN. As such, more service providers are looking to follow in their footsteps throughout 2025.
Artificial Intelligence
AI is transforming many industries, and sports content is no different. For example, AI algorithms can be used to optimize the performance of video distribution, helping to reduce the burden on the CPU by automatically adjusting frame rates. It is also being experimented with to personalize content, as it can automatically generate closed captions as well as translate live speech into different languages. But, even the big names in AI-driven sports content are looking to develop their offerings this year.
Most recently, AI content specialist WSC Sports announced it would acquire sports technology brand Infront Lab’s research and development division, including the Engine 365 technology platform, and a client base made up of names like CBS Sports, Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), and Champions Hockey League (CHL). This will allow WSC Sports to expand into live streaming as well as a range of other fan engagement services.
Server-Side Ad Insertion
It goes without saying that sports broadcasting is perfect for advertisers. You’ve got a captive audience, and one where you know the interests of the audience. This has led to the cost of sports streaming rights and advertisements to skyrocket over recent years.
In order to combat this, there has been interest in server-side ad insertion (SSAI). Instead of showing full-screen advertisements, this splits the screen so that it doesn’t interrupt the stream for the viewer. It inserts personalized ads directly into the stream before it is delivered to the viewer, which stops the need for the ad to be loaded by the viewer’s device. This ensures the stream is seamless and relevant, keeping them engaged.
And there you have it – just three technologies that are shaping up to be impactful on sports broadcasting in 2025. All we can do now is wait and see what new experiences they might have to offer.
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