Cisco digital technology plays a huge role in success of 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

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Matildas
Image via Football Australia

Cisco and FIFA partnered up for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with one goal in mind; to produce a flawless broadcast experience for lovers of football around the world.

An industry leader in connecting and protecting the largest sports and entertainment events in the world, Cisco deployed its networking technology across nine host cities and 10 competition venues.

Cisco’s network also connected the non-competition venues necessary to support the operation of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, including the International Broadcast Center (IBC), which deployed Cisco’s IP Fabric for Media solution to allow for the secure and efficient delivery of 4K content to fans everywhere.

Cisco’s core values consist of their commitment to connect more people and things, and power a more inclusive future for all which played a big role in how their network team would be selected.

Cisco used the partnership with FIFA to make history, with an All-Female Cisco Networking Academy team being tasked with the huge role of providing a fantastic broadcast across all 64 games in the tournament.

FIFA’s Director of Technology Jose Ignacio Fresco discussed the success of the partnership with Cisco, which enabled the tournament to run smoothly in the network space as record numbers were achieved.

“Technology enabled the biggest sports event in women’s sports history to happen through an amazing partnership with Cisco. It was possible through such an amazing network and through such a wonderful, united team we have,” Ignacio Fresco said via video.

“Having a strong, reliable, scalable and secure network is the key component to make sure it happened without any single problem. Cisco and FIFA both prepared and planned for this huge wave of support that was expected for such a brilliant tournament.

“I see the success of this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup was not just the victory of Spain, it was the victory of women’s football. New role models, new stars for the girls and the boys. A tournament that moved the world to a beautiful, inclusive future with the beautiful game.”

The delivery of quality and flawless digital and TV content has never been so important in the current sporting landscape, and this success by Cisco played an underrated role in the positive impact the tournament will have on fans around the world.

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Football Australia Announces Broadcasting Partnership with LIGR

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Image credit: Preston Lions FC

Football Australia has unveiled a partnership with Live Graphics Systems (LIGR) to establish a world-first centralised production and distribution model for over 3,500 matches annually across multiple competition tiers.

This ambitious undertaking is set to transform sports broadcasting efficiency whilst unlocking future commercial opportunities for Football Australia and its nine State and Territory Member Federations.

The collaboration comes as Football Australia prepares to kick off the Australian Championship this October.

In mid-2024, Football Australia began developing a new production strategy, defining requirements across multiple tiers of Australian football.

The strategy encompasses the Hahn Australia Cup, NSD and the top tier of Federation Competitions for both men and women (National Premier Leagues), Futsal and National Para-Football Championships included as well.

LIGR’s appointment followed a rigorous Request for Proposal (RFP) process, led by Football Australia in alliance with Member Federations, aimed at identifying a single partner capable of managing the complex scale.

LIGR, an Australian tech business recently acquired by European-based tech company Crionet, will provide technical and operational broadcast management, live monitoring and AI integration across Football Australia’s multi and single camera productions.

Additionally, LIGR’s world-leading streaming, graphics and highlights automation platform will enable seamless integration of key sponsors on broadcasts.

Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, James Johnson, highlighted the significance of the partnership.

“This partnership marks a defining moment in Australian football and represents a paradigm shift in the way the game is produced, distributed and commercialised both in Australia and abroad,” Johnson explained via Football Australia official press release.

“By unifying production across thousands of games and multiple tiers of competition, we are not only streamlining operations but also reshaping the future of football broadcasting in this country. This is innovation at scale.

“Through this centralised model, we are building long-term operational and cost efficiencies and can focus on building sustainable revenue streams for the connected football pyramid.”

Luke McCoy, CEO of LIGR, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership.

“At Crionet and LIGR, our mission is to disrupt the traditional sports production, streaming, and distribution landscape,” McCoy commented via Football Australia’s official press release.

“Our partnership with Football Australia and its State and Territory Member Federations represents a groundbreaking shift towards a truly aggregated model, marking a significant milestone for sports coverage in Australia.

“Our cutting-edge technology and innovative approach sets us apart, and we are excited to elevate the game, enhance fan engagement, and drive innovation across all levels of the sport.”

This multi-tier integration represents an unprecedented approach, as no other Australian rights holder has consolidated production across such a diverse range of competitions under a single centralised model.

This new centralised approach will allow the sport to optimise its production workflows and unlock new commercial opportunities in the evolving broadcast and streaming landscape.

An exciting development in increasing viewership and commercial viability for, as Football Australia’s 2024 National Participation Report confirmed, the most popular and fastest growing sport in the country.

Sydney FC and Arnotts Collaboration Enhances Team Spirit

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Sydney Arnotts
Image Credit: Sydney FC

Sydney FC have announced an impressive partnership with iconic Australian brand, Arnotts.

The collaboration will see Arnotts’ branding feature in a highly visible location on the back of the Sydney FC Men’s team shorts for the rest of the A-League 2024/25 season.

Sydney FC CEO Mark Aubrey expressed how valuable the partnership was to the Sky Blues.

“We are thrilled to bring Arnott’s on board as an official partner of Sydney FC,” he said via press release.

“This is a brilliant alignment between two recognised brands that specialise in creating moments that matter.”

We also both value the importance of a high performance, high integrity environment as well as standing for equality and diversity.

“I hope this will be the beginning of a long and trusted partnership, and we can’t wait to see where this journey takes us.”

From the collaboration, both Sydney FC and Arnotts will work on a special content series featuring the “Arnotts Moments Matter” campaign.

Arnotts Group CMO Jenni Dill highlighted how excited the organisation was for the partnership.

“This partnership builds on Arnott’s desire to support Australian’s on and off the football field with healthier and delicious lunch and snacking choices,” she said in a press release.

“Whether it’s a Vita-Weat with your favourite lunchtime toppings, or a pack of Snack Right Puffs on the way to game, we look forward to inspiring Sydney FC players and fans with more tasty and convenient ways to enjoy a snack or lunch.”

Further highlighting the importance of the brand deal, Arnotts branding will not only feature on the Sydney FC Men’s kit but will also appear on the LED screens on matchdays, presenting with Arnotts with highly desirable marketing material.

The Arnotts-Sydney FC partnership is yet another major landmark deal for the club in recent months, adding to collaborations with Guaraná Antarctica and WHEN Fertility.

 

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