The Switch China delivers Hengshui Lake Marathon to global audience

The Switch, a platform for the production and global transmission of live video, was pivotal in delivering uninterrupted live linear TV broadcasts and online streaming of the ninth Hengshui Lake International Marathon in September, leveraging its extensive network in China to bring the event to audiences around the globe.

Working in partnership with Chinese media production and content packaging company New Force Media, The Switch utilised its established experience and the global reach of its transmission network to deliver coverage to international broadcasters – as well as reaching marathon fans worldwide via live streaming websites.

The long-distance race was the second event in China that The Switch has brought to audiences around the world in recent months, after supporting the global broadcast and streaming of the Lanzhou International Marathon in June. The popularity of long distance and marathon running in China is exploding, with the number of races increasing more than tenfold since 2015; it is expected to drive growth in the sports gear market to $18 billion by 2020 – doubling its value in five years.

Set in one of China’s national nature reserves, the 2019 Hengshui Lake International Marathon attracted some 20,000 professional athletes and running enthusiasts across the full 26-mile marathon, the half marathon and the 3.1-mile fun run on September 22. The Switch coordinated with the event’s broadcast rights holders to deliver content to audiences in China and abroad. In addition, the dedicated over-the-top (OTT) channel for the event was managed by The Switch, which handled everything from set-up to inserts from its Los Angeles control room.