Even before Ted Leonsis' Monumental Sports Network launched in October, 2016, as the first regional sports network to be streamed, several NBA and NHL ownership groups had reached out to find out more about the service and see if something similar could work in their markets.
One of those was Jeff Vinik's Tampa Bay Lightning, which reached out about eight months ago. This week, one of Vinik’s companies, Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties, will take the wraps off its version of a local streaming service that it calls The Identity.
The Identity plans to move beyond sports to highlight local entertainment as well.
Tampa’s streaming service is modeled after Monumental Sports Network with a couple of big differences. The Tampa version is ad supported; Monumental requires a subscription. And the Tampa version will provide a mix of lifestyle and sports content; Monumental is solely devoted to sports.
Monumental's decision to help Tampa set up its own over-the-top streaming network represents a potentially big opportunity for the owner of the Washington Wizards, Capitals and Mystics. As part of the deal to launch The Identity, Vinik will use ViewLift, a unit within the Leonsis-owned documentary streaming service SnagFilms, to provide the technology for the Tampa-based service.
“In the past few years, we’ve had entertainment companies and sports entities ask us to help them look into their OTT options on a white label basis,” said Rick Allen, CEO of ViewLift. “That’s what led us to think there’s a business in it and we should spin up the ViewLift unit to be able to do that and expand what the platform was capable of doing.”
The market ViewLift is looking to develop is crowded with deep-pocketed competitors, companies such as Disney’s BamTech, NBC’s Playmaker, Turner’s iStreamPlanet and Endeavor’s Neulion — not to mention Deltatre and Perform. Still, Allen believes ViewLift’s growth prospects are solid and that there are enough groups that need the services these companies offer.
First Look podcast, with OTT discussion at the 13:15 mark:
Though ViewLift launched in 2015, its origins go back to 2008, when Allen was part of the team that launched SnagFilms. At the time, Leonsis believed it would be easier for independent movie producers to reach audiences if they streamed their movies. The group was one of the first to develop an iPad app and a Roku app. Eventually, its content was featured on 30 device platforms.
ViewLift
When it comes to developing OTT services, ViewLift pursues four models:
1. Monumental Sports Network: A digital regional sports network that carries shoulder programming for the Washington Capitals and Wizards, pre- and postgame coverage, and other sports. “Monumental has become a home for sports programming in its region for sports content that otherwise wouldn’t have a TV home,” said ViewLift CEO Rick Allen.
2. The Identity in Tampa Bay: While it will have sports, it also wants to be a regional hub for all forms of entertainment content. “Within the Tampa area, it wants to be the one-stop place you go if you’re a sports fan or if you’re interested in the entertainment scene,” Allen said. “It’s a different kind of regional property.”
3. Lax Sports Network: A 24/7 subscription service that provides deep coverage of a specific sport. “It’s lacrosse at all levels, from youth to high school to college to pro,” Allen adds.
4. Major League Lacrosse: Deep coverage of a specific league.
ViewLift:
■ Launched: 2015
■ Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
■ Number of employees: Nearly 100
■ Backers: Ted Leonsis, Steve and Jean Case, Terry Semel, Robert McCormack, New Enterprise Associates, Comcast Ventures, Clark Enterprises
■ What they do: Provide technology for over-the-top streaming platforms
ViewLift clients:
■ NBCU
■ TEGN
■ Monumental Sports Network
■ The Great Courses
■ Lax Sports Network
■ Major League Lacrosse
■ Arena Football League
Others started to take notice. Entertainment companies, sports leagues and teams approached SnagFilms to see if it would help create channels and become a technology partner.
“That’s how ViewLift was born,” Allen said. “It became a business-to-business service and a platform allowing content owners to bring their content directly to consumers across over-the-top and mobile devices.”
In 2016, ViewLift secured close to $8 million in funding. Earlier this year, it secured around $4 million. As a private company, Allen said it does not disclose finances, but said that it has more than doubled revenue each year it’s been in existence.
While Monumental Sports Network is focused on smaller sports teams in the Washington, D.C., area and shoulder programming around the Leonsis-owned pro teams, The Identity will provide a mix of local sports with programming around the local entertainment scene, like reviews of local hotspots. Eventually, Allen believes these services will offer virtual and augmented reality and gaming.
ViewLift will be Tampa’s technology partner under a long-term arrangement versus simply charging a large up-front fee to set up the OTT network. Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties will own the local service and control its editorial and business functions.
“Tampa is not beginning this experience thinking that what it looks like on day one is what it’s going to look like on day 60, much less six months from now,” Allen said. “All sports ownership groups are going to want some sort of direct-to-consumer service to get to know their fan base better.
“Regional sports network deals have been very good for teams from a financial perspective. But they don’t have any data on who their fans are or who’s watching. They can’t communicate with those fans in any sort of direct manner. That’s one of the beauties of an over-the-top and mobile environment — you’re in direct conversation with your subscribers.”
