DAZN unveils global virtual production facility based on NEP platform

Live and on-demand sports streaming service DAZN has launched a virtual production facility that it says will enhance its global broadcast infrastructure and production output.

The facility, powered by an NEP production platform, makes a variety of production resources including logging, editing, commentary and graphic design accessible remotely from any location around the world, all housed in a virtual environment.

The first hub opens in Madrid with 12 virtual production suites. It will enable DAZN to produce more localised content around its premium sports rights in Spain, including MotoGP, Premier League and Euroleague Basketball.

DAZN’s broadcast centre in Leeds, which opened earlier this year, is next to be connected to the virtual environment. The technology will later be rolled out across additional DAZN offices, enabling teams to access virtualised production from anywhere with internet connectivity.

DAZN chief operations officer Neil Colligan said, “At DAZN, digital disruption is at the heart of everything we do. The ability to operate in an agile and scalable virtual environment means we can get our content localised and out to market across multiple regions much more quickly. It also enables us to tap into shared resources in whichever configuration is required to fulfil our programming needs.

“It can take up to nine months to launch a physical production facility in a new territory, but with this technology, we can get remote production offices up and running at a speed that can match our rapid pace of growth.”

DAZN opened a virtual development centre in Amsterdam last summer.

DAZN launched in 2016 and is now available in nine markets across four continents, including the US, Germany, Spain, Italy, Brazil and Japan.

The company employs more than 2,600 employees across 24 countries.