Endeavor Streaming has taken over delivery and development of the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH’s) streaming platform following the recent termination of an existing agreement with Nagra.
Under the five-year deal, Endeavor Streaming will support and develop the FIH’s wider D2C streaming strategy through business advisory services, audience development, technical deployment, content operations, and end user customer service. Endeavor Streaming’s Vesper platform will provide the backbone for the federation’s revived Watch.Hockey service.
Watch.Hockey was taken offline earlier this season as the agreement with Nagra, the digital TV division of the Switzerland-based Kudelski Group, was ended. It marks the second time in succession that the FIH has ended a deal prematurely with a streaming services provider.
In 2020, the FIH terminated a five-year contract with MyCujoo to enter into a 10-year pact with Nagra to deliver a new direct-to-consumer platform and digital products.
The FIH and Endeavor Streaming said today (Tuesday) that they will launch a re-imagined version of Watch.Hockey, the digital free-to-watch ‘home of hockey’ unveiled by the federation and Nagra in September 2020.
Watch.Hockey will stream more than 600 events live. These will include the FIH Hockey World Cup, the FIH Hockey Pro League, the FIH Hockey Nations Cup, the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2, the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup, the FIH Hockey5s World Cup and the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup.
Live streaming will be supported by highlights and archive footage.
Fred Santarpia, president at Endeavor Streaming, said: “This partnership combines our world-class streaming technology and digital strategy capabilities to deliver sustained commercial growth for international hockey. Through our long-term collaboration, we’re not only creating a global destination for hockey fans, but helping FIH acquire, engage and grow its digital audience around the world.”
‘Mutual’ termination
The agreement with Nagra was due to run to 2030.
The FIH told SportBusiness that it parted ways with Nagra “mutually” last year and “remains on very good terms” with its former streaming technology provider.
The federation added: “We would like to reiterate our gratitude to Nagra for their collaboration and support over the years that helped build Watch.Hockey successfully with our fans.”
Last month, Nagra announced that it was making 160 positions redundant, including between 40 and 45 in Switzerland. The cost-cutting measures came amid a refocusing on its core digital security business.
At the time of dropping MyCujoo for Nagra, the FIH believed that the Swiss firm was better placed to provide an end-to-end suite of digital products that more closely aligned with its commercial ambitions.
Under a proposed five-year deal, the federation created and launched FIH.live (later relaunched as Watch.Hockey) with MyCujoo in early 2019. The commercial model for the Nagra deal was similar to the one entered into with MyCujoo whereby the latter provided its technology services for free in return for a share of advertising revenues.
In late 2023, the FIH and Nagra lifted geo-blocking of Watch.Hockey outside of the sport’s core revenue-driving market of the Indian subcontinent, as part of the latest revamp of its digital assets. The FIH+ multi-event pay-per-view pass was also added.
In 2023, the FIH generated CHF5.9m (€6.2m/$6.7m) in media rights sales.
The FIH has targeted June, a month which includes Pro League and men’s Nations Cup action, for the launch of the revamped platform powered by Endeavor Streaming.