The Int'l Hockey Federation (FIH) announced a commercial partnership with Google-owned YouTube to provide broadcast coverage of the upcoming Hockey World League Finals. Fans in countries without broadcast agreements will be able to access matches via a pay-per-view YouTube system. YouTube will work as a primary distribution platform in participating nations’ markets where digital consumption has proven to be the primary method for consuming sport, and as a secondary platform giving fans access to matches not being shown by their local broadcaster (FIH).
Swiss cable operator UPC integrated OTT service Sky Sport as an app on its Horizon box. Customers can receive the service free of charge in the first month, after which the regular price of 19.90 Swiss francs ($20.12) per month applies (BROADBAND TV NEWS, 11/13).
French gambling operator FDJ announced a partnership with Sportradar to open a social esports betting website. The website, parionsesport.fr, is a branch of the FDJ’s sports betting brand, ParionsSport, "making this the first national lottery-backed esports betting platform." An advertisement for the platform has also been produced as a pre-roll ad for Twitch. ParionsEsports "will make use of Sportradar’s data cultivation, as well as its esports gambling API" (ESPORTS OBSERVER, 11/14).
