TownNews and BlueFrame Technology have announced a partnership which will give the more than 2,000 local media websites using TownNews' digital publishing platforms access to BlueFrame's live sports and events video streaming services.
The arrangement enables TownNews to supply its client network with compelling live sports and event streaming. In turn, TownNews customers can offer the same services to their local school districts at a significantly reduced cost — or even free.
"What will high school sports look like in the fall of 2020? Will in-person events be held at all and, if so, will coronavirus fears keep people at home?" said Rick Rogers, chief revenue officer at TownNews. "These are the questions that are keeping district athletic directors up at night, and there's a lot riding on the answers."
As athletic departments grapple with these issues, BlueFrame's industry-leading sponsorship, advertising and content monetization opportunities extend a critical new revenue stream.
"We've wanted to offer a live sports and events video streaming service to our local media partner base for a long time," Rogers said. "This is the next logical step in the evolution of our product offering, and a service that can have a very positive impact for our clients in all market sizes. With an HD video camera and BlueFrame Technology, a TownNews customer can work with a local school district to stream live sporting events to their community and provide a unique content experience on their website.
"And, of course, there are many revenue opportunities, including in-video ad and sponsorship positions, standard local website display advertising spots, and access to the TownNews iQ programmatic ad network."
Live streams will be broadcast on the news organization's TownNews-hosted website, driving significant traffic and enhancing revenue potential for both the media partner and the school districts it covers.
"If parents, grandparents, students and alumni are not able to sit in the stands and watch their favorite athletes compete, they're going to figure out a technological way to watch the games," Rogers said. "This partnership empowers the news organizations we serve, along with school districts, to provide a solution for their communities, while potentially making up for lost gate revenue."
Video streams can be sold on a per-game basis, as a season pass, or provided for free, at the discretion of the school district.
"BlueFrame is incredibly excited to partner with TownNews to support local journalism," said Bent Kant, CEO and co-founder of BlueFrame. "BlueFrame's end-to-end platform makes it easy for organizations to create, distribute and monetize high quality live and on-demand video content, cost effectively. Our platform is a natural fit for TownNews' partners, and will immediately open the door to engaging content and new revenue opportunities."
