How Varsity Sports Now used Zype Live to grow their subscriber base by nearly 500%

It’s 2020, and the video industry is growing at a faster pace than ever before. The expectations of media consumers have grown rapidly over the past few decades, and with more options than ever before, the pressure is on for brands to deliver compelling content. Companies of all sizes are being forced to adapt as it becomes more and more clear that in order to survive in the streaming era, they must incorporate video into their business strategies. 

Among those businesses is Varsity Sports Now (VSN), who produces and distributes some of the most binge-worthy high school sports video on-demand and live broadcast content in the state of Louisiana.

Eric Richey, CEO and Founder of VSN, has been working in the Louisiana sports industry covering high school sports his entire career, so when he was presented with the opportunity to create a digital network, it was a no-brainer.

Although Varsity Sports Now was already using Zype’s platform to publish a ton of great video on demand content to their website, they were still missing something that would engage existing viewers, while capturing a new audience. That’s when VSN began exploring live broadcast capabilities, powered by Zype’s Live infrastructure.

Adopting Zype Live was a huge success (check out archives of their 2019 live games)! VSN’s subscriber base grew by 460% within a week of broadcasting their first game, and they were able to set themselves apart by providing both historical and live sports coverage for teams and coaches in the Louisiana tri state area.

VSN also wanted to up their discoverability and give their current audience new places to tune in, so they leveraged Zype’s App Distribution tools to launch new video distribution channels. With the help of Zype’s Professional Services team, they were able to publish three applications: Apple iOS, Apple TV and Android mobile.

As for 2020, the company will continue to invest in the VSN network by securing large-scale live sports events, such as semi-final and state championship games, and are looking to expand their coverage to other states.

Download Varsity Sports Now on iOS, Android, and Apple TV or watch on the Web today!

Want to learn more about how Zype Live can help transform your video business? Request a demo!

Zype Success Story: Varsity Sports Now

When it comes to content, startups all want to offer what their competitors lack. But the big question that looms over them all is, "What do consumers want?" Some recent news stories provide great examples of diversity in the market and a look into a possible answer for that question.

The most outstanding reference this week is the example of Xbox One, the platform most people seek for gaming. Microsoft, however, has recently begun working with Mohu and Hauppauge to stream over-the-air content on the Xbox through peripheral devices. This gives viewers access to live sporting events and primetime shows on broadcast television -- a large jump in content with only one set of partnerships.

What we get from the Wall Street Journal, in contrast, shows us that streaming media is not lost on high-profile news reports. Even though the WSJ sits primarily behind a paywall, it has a team of 40 full-time employees who work to produce up to 40 videos every day for access outside that paywall. The videos only run a few minutes in length, and the head of the WSJ video distribution team, Andy Regal, admits, "You can't conduct Wall Street Journal journalism in 15 to 20 seconds." Yet there is an advantage of exposing viewers to the treasure that sits behind the paywall. Long-form stories may not find development in videos, but their teaser trailers of sorts can help bring viewers into a paid subscription.

Finally, take a look at the ambition of Facebook which wants to begin producing its own content. Its Anthology project will join the social media giant with "Facebook Marketing Partners" such as Vox Media, Funny or Die, and The Onion. Partners will have their content play on the Facebook site in return for a share of revenue. Fictional news, humorous shorts, and global news could initially reach consumers. The growth potential could extend it far beyond just those categories.

What do consumers want? A little bit of everything. We can also find out how providers will get them that content. It won't come from a single, monolithic provider. When you want local content, you can go to Xbox. For news, you make it to Wall Street Journal website. For a little bit of humor, step on over to Facebook.

No single destination will have everything for everyone. Instead, many niche providers will remain relevant because they can offer a quality service to a specific genre. We could be entering a time -- if it isn't already here -- when there is truly something for everyone, yet without the bloat of hundred-channel cable packages. That is something to look forward to.

Header image courtesy of hi-tech via Wikimedia Commons.

Inline images courtesy of Tarek Guez-Guez, Dow Jones, and RomanLier via Wikimedia commons here, here, and here.

Content Providers Establish Niches to Reach Consumers

Free Ad Supported Streaming: Tap Into the Massive Audience Behind the Free TV Movement

[zype-shortcode][getform][newsletter-signup][/zype-shortcode]

DOWNLOAD ZYPE'S GUIDE TO VIDEO INFRASTRUCTURE

Global Site CTA

Digital Video Infrastructure: The Complete Guide

Products

Services

Solutions

Featured Content

Resources

Featured Content

Developers

Free Ad Supported Streaming: Tap Into the Massive Audience Behind the Free TV Movement

THE ZYPE BLOG

Categories

Zype Success Story: Varsity Sports Now

Content Providers Establish Niches to Reach Consumers

PRODUCTS

SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTER

SERVICES

DEVELOPER HUB

COMPANY

RESOURCES