Latin America. To fuel the passion of motorsport fans around the world, Spedeworth TV has boosted its live streaming capabilities by adopting LiveU's lightweight and highly efficient cloud production solution.
This popular VOD (Video on Demand) platform specializing in track racing – including Hot Rods, Stock Cars and Banger Racing – now offers high-octane coverage more efficiently and on a larger scale than ever before.
After a successful trial earlier this year, Spedeworth TV, a long-time LiveU customer, made the leap from a LiveU Solo setup to a complete broadcast-quality workflow. The team incorporated several compact LiveU LU300S units, along with the cloud-native video production service LiveU Studio, to power live and on-demand content across its own digital platforms, in addition to Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Firestick and other services.
With races almost every weekend – ranging from national and international events to world championships, such as the recent National Hot Rods World Championship – this update marks a new era for Spedeworth TV. What used to be a small number of broadcasts, today is a flexible, fast production system capable of going live from any track, at any time, with fewer resources. "It would be impossible to mount a mobile unit on each track, and the costs don't justify that option," says Tom Newman, Creative Director of Summer Isle Films, the production company behind Spedeworth TV.
"LiveU's solution really accelerated our capabilities and made them accessible to produce and to the viewer. The production is much better because the team has full control, which also allows us to be more creative. LiveU opens the door to more live streams, even in tight spaces, and makes going live much easier. Our audience has grown immediately, generating more revenue and increasing interest in the sport and the channel's profile."
Spedeworth TV conducts all of its live broadcasts with a multi-camera system designed to capture the action from all angles: fixed cameras on the tarmac, mobile operators for real-time drama, aerial drone shots, and even live onboard cameras. All of this content is combined seamlessly and in real-time.
The final mix is done from Summer Isle Films' facilities in Suffolk, UK, using LiveU Studio. The team stays connected at all times thanks to the Audio Connect tool, which allows producers to communicate directly with the cameramen, wherever they are. The images from the ISO system are used for instant replays and edited into adrenaline-filled packages.
In addition, the cloud solution allows you to insert advertising and generate new revenue opportunities. Spedeworth TV has even taken production a step further by testing mobile phones as on-board cameras, holding them with straps inside the cars. With LiveU Studio's Remote Capture, they were able to speak directly to the drivers and offer spectators real-time action, straight from the heart of the race.
"There are other very important tools," Newman adds. Streams are protected by our paywall, so the content is paid, but LiveU Studio allows us to send a portion of the stream to Facebook or YouTube with a single click. We can show a race, or part of it, directly on social networks and then redirect the audience to the page. That generates an immediate peak in audience. We can also walk through the pits before going live, do interviews, pre-recordings and edit that content directly in LiveU Studio. This allows us to post it 30 minutes before the start of the stream, inviting the audience to subscribe to watch the race. Another immediate peak. Before, this was impossible. And now, the quality is like you're there."
Matthew Stringer, Sales Director at LiveU UK, said: "Spedeworth TV is a great example of how sports organisations can scale their production, reach new audiences and unlock revenue opportunities. By expanding their live streaming capability, they are not only connecting with new generations, but also generating immediate value for sponsors and fans. The potential to innovate further—as fully remote studios—is real and exciting."
