Esports organisation has launched its own streaming platform for live and non-live content, chief growth officer Tom Greene tells Broadcast Sport its aims
Blast Premier has the opportunity to “rebuild” the esports streaming experience with its D2C platform Blast.tv, according to the company’s chief growth officer, Tom Greene.
Blast.tv launched today, 17 November, and promises to be the new home of Blast’s esports competitions, as well as content around them such as player stats, team standings, mini-games, news and exclusive content and experiences - including documentaries and magazine-style programming.
Greene spoke to Broadcast Sport ahead of the launch, stating: “We want to rebuild what it means to be an esports streaming experience,” with, “features to keep people housed in the TV experience, such as live chats that players can join, live stats, games.
“Currently fans might be fourth or fifth screening with stats, Reddit, Twitter, etc. so we want to put the whole consumer experience in one place.”
He added: “We’ve invested a lot into the broadcast product, which is mainly being used on laptops, phones, streaming devices – but streaming has had the least production innovation in the last 10-15 years.”
Blast.tv’s innovation has included some impressive technological feats, with a team of 15 engineers (a full team of about 20 when counting non-engineers), completing the creation of the platform in just 18 months. Greene explained that Blast had, “A lot of know how already in house from prior experience with production and consumer experiences,” which helped to speed up the process. There was some external development help brought in to scale the product, but it aims to be entirely in-house by the end of next month.
Blast.tv has a number of innovations, all created in house by this team, including a ‘timeline’ feature similar to that on BT Sport’s app. Greene admits that the broadcaster’s effort was an inspiration, saying, “I watch football and saw how it works for a sport that actually has plenty of opportunities to show highlights – during drinks breaks, half time etc., and thought that it could work even better for something like esports. For example, by hour five of Counter Strike you don’t have the time to show everything that has happened before.”
The timeline feature is assisted by another in-house creation, with an automated system made to pick out highlights that are then given a quick manual check before going out.
Fan engagement is a big part of Blast.tv, with esports fans used to being able to interact while watching on platforms such as Twitch or in arenas. Greene said: “An esports arena feels very alive and interactive, while the at-home experience is more lean back. We want to make that more lean forward for those fans who want it.”
Greene mentions that Twitch and YouTube weren’t built specifically for esports, and that, “making it tailored to competitive esports fans and augmenting their experience can only be good for the sport.”
Fan votes for dream teams, the ability to fire a pyro in the arena from home, and suggest interview questions to presenters, are among the features added to this end, as well as a live chat feature like that used on other online streaming platforms. Greene hopes to eventually add a video watch along service to this, claiming that “esports have an opportunity to do things that other sports would dream of,” due to their online nature and travelling competitions.
When it comes to the content that will be on Blast.tv, it won’t just be the live competitions and highlights. Blast already has a behind-the-scenes docuseries, Ready Up, and Greene revealed: “Next year (2023) we will be focusing on the bits between the live events. Content like Ready Up, behind the scenes stories that don’t get a chance to be heard normally.
“We currently have some shows in pre-production, and are looking at short-form magazine content too.”
He believes this is, “a chance to catch up with ‘older’ sports,” on this front, name-checking F1 and Netflix’s Drive To Survive, Prime Video’s All Or Nothing which looks at European football and American football, and cricket’s efforts to get viewers closer to the action as inspirations.
There are no plans to add non-Blast esports content to the platform, and Blast will continue to show its tournaments through current partners such as DAZN, Twitch, and YouTube - who have been fully informed of the streaming platform from the beginning.
For now, Blast.tv will be aimed at passionate Blast fans, but Greene, “would love over time to offer an onboarding process. Right now it’s architected for current fans and super fans.” This could be put in place part-way through next year.
Other initiatives to bring in new fans will include an online hub launched for fans to find after seeing the renamed Blast.tv Paris Major next May, which Greene wants to, “be somewhere people land and takes [them] from finding the Major to becoming fans.
“Traditionally, esports rights owners haven’t wanted to tackle this area, so we’re hoping we are one of the leading lights.”
For now, Greene said that within 12 months, “I would love thousands of people watching live and to have augmented the live experience, as well as a consistent and user centric campaign through social channels.”
From there, Blast.tv will see where it stands: “After a full season, we will have plenty of lessons to improve on. We’re happy to be led by what consumers want.”
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