Modern Times Group licenses Monterosa LViS Studio for second screen game

Second-screen platform provider Monterosa today announced that MTGx, the digital accelerator division of broadcaster Modern Times Group (MTG), has licensed LViS Studio to power its real-time sports game Sochi Legends.

LViS Studio is a cloud-based platform for broadcasters, sports producers and advertisers to create and monetise real-time, second screen games and experiences across mobile devices and social platforms, then integrate them with live TV graphics.

The Sweden-based media company, anchored by Viasat Broadcasting, with 60 channels in 38 countries and a market cap of $3 billion, has adopted LViS and hired Monterosa’s Apps team to craft the live game.

Fans prove their knowledge by heading to the Viasat mobile site or app, and answering daily trivia questions to gain bronze, silver and gold medals. During live Ice Hockey games, they can also win medals and score points by correctly predicting events in the game. Over the course of the Olympics, players advance from Trainee to the ultimate accolade, Sochi Legend.

The LViS platform provides components and APIs for developers to make high-volume, real-time interaction, including live trivia, predictions, leaderboards and a new competitions management service.

Fergal Walker, MD for MTG’s audience interaction solution Like.tv, said: “Modern audiences expect to be able to engage more with the content they love, and MTG aims to help them. Sochi Legends enables sports fans of all ages to get a little closer to the 2014 Winter Olympics by taking part in daily quizzes and predictions. Leveraging Monterosa’s LVIS platform enabled us to develop this solution speedily and gives us the ability to repeat this and build on it for future audience engagement.”

LViS Studio is being deployed for two other Winter Olympic broadcasts. It’s bringing Sochi closer to Canadian audiences with sports media and technology firm deltatre using the platform to power a live second screen app to complement CBC’s broadcast coverage of the sporting action in Sochi.

Another Scandinavian LViS licensee, TV2 Norway, is using LViS to power its live coverage of the Olympics, with their in-house development using LViS Polling in the high-volume responsive mobile app.

Tom McDonnell, Monterosa’s CEO, added: “The days of investing in one-off experiences for TV are over, so by adopting LViS and making a highly flexible sports gaming app, MTGx are enhancing the fan experience today and investing in a capability that can be used again and again.”