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Manchester, UK and Dublin, Ireland,
Tuesday, July 18th 2006
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Servecast, the leading provider of advanced streaming
media solutions to the sports industry, today
announced the re-launch of Manchester United's
broadband video service, MUTV
online, using its Media Studio platform.
The broadband service is being re-launched in
advance of the beginning of the 2006/2007 season
to take advantage of the high level of interest
following Manchester United's success last season,
International interest following the World Cup
and pre-season friendly matches.
Powered by Servecast's Media Studio platform,
Manchester United will offer a premium subscription
broadband service with an impressive array of
live and archive video as well as exclusive online
content. To commence the new service, MUTV online
will show live coverage of the pre-season friendly
against Preston North End taking place on July
29th. MUTV online will also offer subscribers
coverage of the South Africa tour as well as live
coverage of the opening friendly match against
the current holders of the UEFA Cup Sevilla on
August 12th to celebrate the extended and newly
refurbished Old Trafford stadium. MUTV online
will also offer additional and exclusive behind
the scenes coverage, player interviews, press
conferences, reserve and academy matches and kit
reveal footage.
With the newly re-launched premium subscription
broadband service, MUTV online seeks to reach
a global fan-base and offer the fans all over
the world a sophisticated and high value online
video service with live and archive content, much
of which is exclusive to the service. The service
is to provide a complementary offering to traditional
broadcasting and the club's own TV channel (MUTV).
Moreover, content that has limited rights value
through traditional television broadcasting can
be presented creatively and streamed through MUTV
online thereby enhancing the revenue potential
from its media assets.
Speaking today, Mark Hargreaves, General Manager
of Manchester United Interactive stated "The
trend to access multi-media sports content via
broadband is growing at pace and provides a great
chance for our young fans around the world to
see the team play. Broadband offerings have become
increasingly significant as an effective medium
for promoting the club and extending brand-awareness
while building a direct and intimate relationship
with Man Utd fans. Ultimately MUTV online will
become a service that will make fans as far apart
as America and Singapore, feel part of a global
Man Utd online community. Servecast has enabled
us to build a highly sophisticated and intuitive
broadband subscription service so we can grow
subscribers and revenues by providing a high quality
service for our fans."
Also speaking today, Darach Deehan, CEO of Servecast
said "Servecast has un-paralleled experience
supporting the growth of the most successful premium
subscription services for UK sport. Servecast
has developed a total solution and service capability
for the provision of a premium service that reflects
the high demands of functionality, scalability
and customer service that will ensure commercial
success for MUTV online. Furthermore Servecast
has pro-actively developed the marketing capability
to reach fans of Manchester United football worldwide
which will help to grow subscribers to the service
and associated revenues."
As par t of the service, Servecast has designed,
built and setup the complete subscription and
delivery platform for MUTV online. Servecast also
created a branded viewing console consistent with
the new Manchester United website. The payment
interface and security/protection systems are
implemented by Servecast and the club is provided
with geo-targeting to control delivery of content
to different locations around the world. Manchester
United will also be provided with Servecast's
Media Studio CMS, a sophisticated content management
tool to provide complete control over the addition
and editing of content to MUTV online. Media Studio
CRM will provide access to online statistics to
analyse subscriber behaviour and devise future
promotional campaigns based on this information.
About Servecast
Servecast is the leading specialist supplier of
new media sportscasting delivering advanced streaming
media solutions for the sports industry. Servecast's
Media Studio Platform enables sporting organisations
and rights holders to exploit their media assets
to new broadband and mobile connected audiences.
Through the delivery of high quality audio visual
sports content over broadband and mobile applications,
Servecast's Media Studio platform greatly enhances
the global fan sporting experience and enables
the delivery of significant new revenue streams
to the rights holder. Servecast is the partner
of choice of sports broadcasters such as BSkyB,
At The Races, NASN, RTE and Setanta Sports and
facilitates the most commercially successful sports
webcasting services in Europe. Servecast customers
include Sky Sports, Liverpool FC, Manchester United
FC, Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, Rangers FC, the Rugby
Superleague, the Ice Hockey League and the GAA.
Servecast is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland
with offices in London and Paris.
For more details contact:
Kathrina Gallogly
Marketing and Communications Manager
Servecast Ltd.,
http://www.servecast.com
Phone: +353 (0)1 4748013
Fax: +353 (0)1 4748003
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