Episode 14: Canberra Based Company Nets Major NBA Deal

Show Notes:  Canberra-based digital agency Unbnd has finalised a partnership with the NBA to broadcast the NBA’s dedicated 24-hour channel in Australia and Singapore using its immersive mixed reality broadcast platform. Unbnd’s MIA mixed reality platform will allow viewers to watch live games, highlights, and original programming through a 360-degree virtual theatre environment that displays real-time game statistics and interactive branded content. The MIA app will be available before the start of the 2019-20 season on most VR headsets, mobile devices, and tablets. Website to check them out: https://unbnd.com.au/ Rugby Australia is looking at a range of streaming options to increase distribution of domestic and (reportedly!) Super Rugby content when its broadcast rights are renegotiated in 2020. Games such as the NRC, Junior Wallabies matches and more could be available for free in the next broadcast deal as the governing body looks to bring more rugby to different platforms for free. The problem has been that so much rugby has been paywalled for a long time so different platforms should come to the fore. Last Friday’s Women’s State of Origin rugby league match between Queensland and New South Wales used live GPS-based statistics via Catapult’s devices during the live broadcast for fans watching at home. Both teams wore Catapult GPS devices that tracked position, and that data was used to show metrics to the audience such as speed and distance covered, and to track effort and intensity on the field. Catapult Sports, the NRL, and Channel Nine had already been providing live GPS data for the Men’s State of Origin series since 2017.