Foxtel launches dedicated sports streaming service

Josh McDonnell
By Josh McDonnell | 9 November 2018
 

Foxtel has officially launched a beta version of its dedicated sports streaming platform, Kayo, following rumours that the pay-TV business was looking to further its sports offering across multiple screens.

The site, which is only in testing stages, will allow users to stream over 50 live sports live and on-demand, including major sporting codes such as the NRL, AFL, A-League, Cricket and Rugby.

The service will also provide access to Foxtel's suite of international sporting codes and tournaments such as the NFL, NBA, Bundesliga and La Liga.

Kayo also offers users two separate plans, a $25 basic plan and a $35 premium plan, with each offering the use of the platform across two or three screens, respectively.

Earlier this year, speculation mounted Foxtel would split its sports packages into a standalone streaming platform, after the underwhelming launch of its entertainment streaming offering, Foxtel Now.

All content streamed in Kayo is available in an HD stream, provided users have the bandwidth and will offer SplitView, which allows the user to watch four videos at once, all on one screen on selected devices.

According to the site, Kayo features "best shows from Fox Sports, ESPN and beIN Sports, as well as Foxtel's post and pre-game shows such as 30for30, The Greatest, The Back Page and more.

The launch coincides with the beginning of the Summer of Cricket in Australia after it was revealed that Foxtel would be handling the streaming rights for Cricket Australia, following its joint deal with Seven earlier this year.

Fox Sports also appointed former Diageo marketing boss Adam Ballesty to lead the new sports strategy, after the Fox Sports business was merged into Foxtel in March.

Kayo's beta launch marks the beginning of a new era for the Foxtel business, which has struggled this year to generate new business, instead placing a larger focus on maintaining its current subscriber base.

Known for its extensive access to premium Australian and international sport, Kayo will target those who most likely fit into the younger demographics.

Currently, most Australian codes offer their own private streaming portals, with Telstra managing the streaming rights across the NRL, AFL and the A-League apps.

It remains unclear as to whether Foxtel Now will continue in its current form, however it is likely, following the launch of Fox Showcase and Fox Flicks, that the platform will be re-focused on engaging a demographic uninterested in its sporting coverage.

The platform is coming soon to both Android and iOS devices.

Foxtel declined to comment further on the launch.

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