URC TV has chosen Simplestream as a technology partner its OTT service that gives fans live and on-demand access to United Rugby Championship games.
The subscription service, run by United Rugby Championship and RTÉ, has launched new applications for Android and iOS.
Founded in 2021, URC TV was conceived to enhance the launch of the United Rugby Championship, a global club rugby league comprising of 16 teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales.
Simplestream has deployed its proprietary Media Manager – the modular backend to manage content for distribution – and App Platform, a framework for app development and distribution of premium content across multiple devices.
Subscribers come to URC TV from a variety of touchpoints, so a seamless workflow was built to consolidate the authentication process for users from both the official website and the URC TV service, granting a frictionless experience for the end-user.
Simplestream’s Technical Director, Ashley Reynolds-Horne, said: “The successful delivery of the URC TV project is another testament to the solid foundation of our architecture, which builds on both proprietary technology and the flexibility of integrating multiple entities as part of a unique architecture. The launch also involved new enhancements in terms of branding and frontend customisation, to allow the client to bring to their fans a best-in-class experience and to enhance the visual identity of the brand itself”.
Tom Lister, United Rugby Championship’s Chief Marketing Officer, added: “Reliability is the key deliverable when it comes to streaming live sport as fans expect a seamless, uninterrupted experience from sign-up right through to the final whistle. The Simplestream platform has provided an ideal foundation for URC TV to continue to innovate and deliver a top-quality product to our fans.”
The announcement follows similar projects Simplestream has recently undertaken across multiple verticals with the likes of GAAGO, TELUS, Crafter’s Companion, TalkTV,