Having acquired the rights to the Rugby World Cup 2019 and with an active program to acquire a raft of other premium sporting rights, Spark Sport needed to rapidly build and launch a new sports streaming platform.

As part of delivering this new platform, Spark Sport needed a partner who could deliver stable yet engaging consumer applications for a range of big-screen TV platforms, and who could then continue to evolve these in order to surpass customer needs.

Spark Sport knew that Accedo had extensive knowledge and experience delivering multi-platform video experiences on a global stage. This, coupled with local presence and understanding of the local market made it a perfect fit.

Accedo was engaged by Spark Sport in the lead-up to the Rugby World Cup 2019. Given the tight timelines and ambitious device rollout plan, Accedo co-located its team with the Spark Sport team to maximize collaboration and speed to market.

The rollout included developing consumer applications for Smart TV devices, as well as Freeview New Zealand devices. Launching across multiple devices meant Accedo needed to consider the impact of varying certification and submission processes and timelines.

Thanks to this close working relationship and Accedo’s expertise and close relationships with the device manufacturers, Spark Sport’s key big screen TV applications were delivered on time and with an engaging UX that showcased the Spark Sport content portfolio.

Beyond the initial launch, the organizations have continued to collaborate on the evolution of the big screen TV user experience. This working relationship involves Accedo operating as a tightly integrated extension to the core Spark Sports team.