French National Volleyball League Engages Fans Using Video Streaming Solution from AWS Partner Kinow

France’s professional national volleyball league, the Ligue Nationale de Volley (LNV), used a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution from AWS Partner Kinow to overhaul its over-the-top (OTT) media service, LNVtv. OTT services offer content directly to viewers over the internet, and LNVtv used Bee propelled by Kinow (Bee) to optimize its broadcasts and create a personalized viewing experience. Bee uses AWS Elemental MediaLive to facilitate the simultaneous broadcast of up to 20 live matches, while other Amazon Web Services (AWS) services help to improve users’ navigation capabilities, prevent content piracy, and provide a way for fans to watch on mobile devices or stream to their televisions.

To attract viewers in an increasingly competitive media market, the LNV sought to modernize its streaming video service quickly at a competitive cost that incorporated pricing strategies based on video quality and premium content. The solution had to connect seamlessly with the LNV’s sports data management system and other internal systems while protecting content from video piracy. The LNV turned to AWS Partner Kinow for the solution. The use of Kinow’s SaaS, Bee, helped the LNV to transform its OTT service, LNVtv, into a more personalized viewer experience that includes live and on-demand content that builds audience loyalty and enjoyment while contributing to new sources of revenue for the LNV.

Located in Nantes, France, Kinow offers turnkey video streaming solutions that help its customers create and enhance their own video platforms with live and on-demand video content. Kinow has earned two AWS Certifications to become part of the AWS Partner Network (APN), a global community of partners that uses programs, expertise, and resources to build, market, and sell customer offerings. Bee uses more than 20 AWS solutions for its servers, databases, and file storage. Kinow specializes in providing its all-inclusive SaaS solution to content producers and distributors, media companies, and sports federations, helping its clients to target niche markets such as sports, entertainment, or corporate.

The LNV had launched its first streaming service in 2018, offering a subscription model for fans who wished to watch professional volleyball games live or on replay. By 2022, the organization was seeking to quickly transform its OTT solution to stand out in a crowded market. “The LNV is working every day to rebuild its digital offering,” says Yves Bouget, president of the LNV. “The OTT platform modernization project was one of our priorities in order to offer a new experience to volleyball fans.”

The LNV’s previous streaming service broadcasted both live and on-demand matches, but the LNV was interested in creating a more personalized experience that was simpler and more compelling for viewers. The upgraded OTT solution also needed to be fully interoperable with other LNVtv solutions, such as solutions for sports data management and video capture, which is the process of converting a camera’s analog video signal to a digital video stream. “We decided to rely on the Kinow team’s expertise in this field,” Bouget says. “This choice is even more important as we are delighted to work with French tech.”

The use of Bee has helped the LNV completely redesign the LNVtv user experience. Since the launch of the redesign, LNVtv has seen a 7 percent increase in subscribers. For live streaming, Bee uses AWS Elemental MediaLive, a broadcast-grade live video processing service. Using MediaLive, LNVtv can broadcast multiple live events simultaneously as well as support a linear channel that runs 24/7. Users not only have access to a wide choice of live streams, but they can also switch between matches in a viewing matrix. “Using our solution, up to 20 simultaneous live matches are available to users,” says Pierre Antoine, Kinow’s business unit director at Alpha Networks. In addition to watching matches, volleyball fans can use a search bar to look for content related to a player or coach, and the system returns all relevant video on a dedicated page. LNVtv personalizes its pages with team colors and imagery to further engage fans. “Replays and exclusive content automatically adapt to each user’s preferences in order for them to follow their favorite competitions and teams,” Antoine says. LNVtv also offers a multiscreen experience for its users through a mobile app it developed for iOS and Android using AWS solutions, and fans can pay for content directly from their mobile devices.

Kinow provides all hosting, maintenance, and technical support for LNVtv, freeing the LNV to focus on its content and marketing strategy. The organization has built an architecture that facilitates access rights, providing different levels of access to various stakeholders, such as the company in charge of the capture solution or the individual volleyball teams. To protect content from piracy or other illegal downloads, Bee uses AWS Elemental MediaPackage, which reliably prepares and protects video for delivery over the internet. LNVtv also uses MediaPackage to implement popular video features for viewers, such as pause, rewind, and start over.

Working alongside Kinow, the LNV has developed a more robust pricing strategy for its subscription service. The organization offers a “freemium” model, meaning some content is free after authentication and some is fee based. Also, LNVtv offers different prices depending on the video quality the user desires.

Using Bee, the LNV hopes to expand its offerings to broadcast competitions beyond LNV matches, such as the French Volleyball Cup or the Champions League. It also is developing volleyball-related programming to further enrich its offerings. “For sports organizations and especially for sports leagues, streaming has become a real opportunity,” says Antoine. “It is an incredible asset to federate a community, build audience loyalty, and benefit from a new source of revenue. The redesign of the LNV platform is a great example of success.”