New York, USA – Omnigon, one of the world’s leading digital services firms within the sports and entertainment industries, has been tapped by Rugby International Marketing to develop its all-new over-the-top (OTT) video platform, The Rugby Channel. The Rugby Channel will bring all the action and live viewing excitement of one of the world’s most popular sports to the US audience. The offering, which is designed to drive engagement with current and new Rugby fans, will roll out in two phases. Phase one is live now on iOS and Android mobile devices and the web at TheRugbyChannel.tv; phase two, launching on advanced platforms, will happen June 2016.
The OTT platform will include both free and premium content offerings. Users will be able to stream live matches, get real time play-by-play and head-to-head match statistics, view archive match videos, share across social platforms, and receive custom content including the latest news on their favorite clubs. Real time, head-to-head statistics will include tries, carries, possession time, clean breaks, and tackles. The free offering will offer short videos and limited content.
“We are excited about the launch of The Rugby Channel and are glad to have worked with Omnigon on its design and development,” said Nigel Melville, CEO of Rugby International Marketing. “They have done excellent, ground-breaking work for us on The Rugby Channel’s website and apps. We are confident that American rugby fans will enjoy using the new platform and having unprecedented access to the best in domestic and international rugby programming.”
“Omnigon is pleased to have been chosen by Rugby International Marketing and USA Rugby to help grow Rugby’s profile and popularity in the United States with the launch of The Rugby Channel,” said David Nugent, Chief Commercial Officer at Omnigon. “Interest in Rugby in the United States has never been higher after last year’s Rugby World Cup, the Eagles’ semi-final appearance at the Rugby 7’s last month, and the Olympics this summer. We look forward to capitalizing on this by working with the USA Rugby team to drive engagement of current rugby fans and ignite interest from new fans leveraging The Rugby Channel.”
The Rugby Channel will be available through monthly or yearly subscription options. Among the live events available exclusively through the new platform will be test matches featuring the USA men’s and women’s national teams; the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series; the USA Rugby national college and club championships; and matches from Europe’s Guinness Pro12 competition. On-demand content will include the World Rugby TV weekly news magazine and classic matches from the archives of USA Rugby, the England Rugby Football Union, the Rugby World Cup and other global competitions.
Omnigon developed the official 2015 Rugby World Cup mobile app that was downloaded by more than three million users across 204 countries; during the Cup, the app was utilized over 71 million times. Omnigon won Best Digital Media Project at the inaugural TV Sports Awards for their work on the app. The app is shortlisted in the Best Tournament App category by the Sports Technology Awards taking place on 15 April in London, in addition to the Best Mobile App category at the Cynopsis Sports Awards on 21 April in New York City.
About Rugby International Marketing
Created by USA Rugby, Rugby International Marketing is a unique ‘for profit’ commercial entity that will build a strong revenue generation team representing USA Rugby’s current commercial rights and developing new revenue streams to fund the game. The mission of Rugby International Marketing is to provide incremental financial resources to USA Rugby by utilizing third-party capital in an entrepreneurially-driven, for-profit company that leverages the commercial opportunities available to USA Rugby. The Rugby Channel is a subsidiary of Rugby International Marketing, providing rugby fans with live and on-demand premium rugby content via an over the top digital broadcast channel.
About Omnigon
Omnigon is a team of digital strategists, artists and technologists working exclusively in digital content delivery in the sports, media and entertainment industries. Since its founding in 2008, Omnigon has established itself as a market leader, focused on helping clients achieve returns on the strategic, creative and technical investments they’ve made. Omnigon, headquartered in New York and with offices in Los Angeles, London, Toronto, Kiev and St. Petersburg, works with celebrated, global brands including PGA TOUR, AS Roma, Bayern Munich, NASCAR, World Rugby, Arsenal FC, Little League International, the United States Golf Association (USGA), FOX Sports, Miami Heat and countless others.
