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When the NFL made the decision to sell their traditional Sunday Ticket package to British based DAZN, it raised a few eye-brows and sent people scrambling to figure out how it all works. Well 5 weeks into the NFL season, it turns out that it doesn't work. My first thought was that it's going to be a buffering nightmare. This is Canada:
(1) Home to the most expensive and worst cell phone coverage and service on the planet. Where dropouts and dead zones are the normal on all carriers.
(2) Internet providers have data caps and even a the deluxe internet of 150 mpbs, it still results in a fuzzy picture.
(3) If you live in a rural area - forget it.
Inversely, Canada is well cabled. We needed to be to get American television in the 70's; it was a upgrade from bunny ears.
While I always admired those who could cut their cable, I was skeptical giving that live sports is not ready to be streamed yet. The DAZN attempt has proven that. In this episode, I share my thoughts and speak with Sean Meade, who is a Seattle Seahawks fan who started the @DAZNSucks Twitter account in the days after the start of the season. He shares his experiences and what needs to happen before he deactivates the account.
More importantly, I try to answer the bigger questions: How does this happen and what is the lesson for broadcasters?
This episode is brought to you by PromoSuite Next. For over 25 years you've known PromoSuite as radio's original promotions management system. Helping promotions teams and programmers manage their contest winners, liners, sales, requests, remotes, prize fulfilment, and much more. Today over 2,500 radio stations across the United States and Canada use PromoSuite Next.
At the time of the release of this podcast - DAZN made the following announcement:
TORONTO, OCTOBER 10, 2017
Live sports streaming service DAZN has appointed Paulo Senra as Head of PR in Canada. The move comes as DAZN looks to expand its local team having recently launched its first market in North America.
In his role, Senra will play a key part in the establishment of DAZN as one of the leading sports providers in the Canadian market. He will work closely with the DAZN marketing and PR teams across the globe as the company adds new and exciting content, develops the product and continues to grow its presence. His role will be based out of Toronto in a team headed up by Marketing Director Nick Fowden.
Senra has extensive experience in the PR and communications industry from his time as Director of Communications at the Canadian Football League (CFL). He joins DAZN after two and a half years at the CFL, where he worked on the delivery of major announcements as well as helping their communications reach new, diverse and growing audiences. He has also previously worked for the Canadian Olympic Committee as well as holding several positions in political communications.
Following Senra’s appointment, Marketing Director Nick Fowden said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Paulo to DAZN. The passion, knowledge and experience Paulo brings to the table will be invaluable as we look to establish ourselves in the Canadian market.”
Speaking after his appointment, Senra said: “I’m delighted to be joining the team at DAZN, and to be at the forefront, shaping the future of sports viewing in Canada. Despite our diverse communities, we as Canadians all share an incredible passion for sport. I’m excited to continue to tell the stories that inspire and unite us all in new industry-leading ways.” DAZN offers unparalleled access to the NFL, including every live NFL game including preseason, regular season, the playoffs and the Super Bowl as well as exclusive access to NFL RedZone. In addition to its NFL coverage, DAZN offers an array of other sporting events including La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, KHL Hockey, WTA, and FIBA on a wide range of connected devices, including Smart TVs, tablets, smartphones and games consoles.