Sports Technology

The AFL is set to launch its own broadcast platform, in order to give international fans better access to coverage of Australian rules football.

The AFL has selected online video distribution and marketing specialist, Rightster, to launch AFLTV, a subscription service that will grant access to live and on-demand AFL games to supporters outside of Australia and New Zealand. It is set to be the only international service that offers every AFL match in both live and on-demand formats for the coming season.

Rightster will provide a full service web TV solution through which the AFL will have complete control over the distribution of online video content. Rightster will also be responsible for the design and implementation of the access and delivery infrastructure, as well as managing user subscriptions which include season, weekly and monthly-recurring pass options.

AFLTV will be available on PCs and Macs, as well as being compatible with smartphones and tablets. In addition, a full service of AFLTV will be available during the the pre-season NAB Cup.

AFL Deputy Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan explained "we're excited to announce the launch of AFLTV with Rightster and look forward to taking Australia football to a global audience.

"We selected Rightster on the strength of its experience in providing digital distribution for major sports rights owners across the world."

Rightster founder and Chief Executive Charlie Muirhead, added "as consumers increasingly seek high-quality video content online, the AFL is spearheading the industry in developing a dedicated solution for its global fan base. We're confident that our solution will continue to address the digital needs of content owners and their audiences worldwide."

11th February 2010 - AFL FANS THE FOCUS OF NEW RESEARCH