BT Sport seeks ideas for new sports broadcast experiences

BT Sport is launching Innovate 21, the latest in its occasional series of large-scale competitions seeking ideas for forward-thinking new sports broadcast experiences.

The previous incarnations of Innovate have resulted in BT Sport teaming up with two coincidentally similar-sounding products – Sceenic (which won the 2018 BT Infinity Lab competition), and Seenit (the winner of the 2016 BT Infinity Lab competition).

Sceenic has worked with BT Sport to support last year’s launch of Watch Together on the BT Sport App, and Seenit has enabled fans to send in short video reports and comments from stadia around the country as part of BT Sport’s Premier League Tonight show.

Innovate 21 is looking for entrepreneurs, creatives and start-ups to pitch products and services that will play a significant role in BT Sport’s broadcasts and productions.

BT Sport says it’s looking to uncover “exciting ideas from across the UK”. Entries open today, with proposals encouraged in areas including, but not limited to, the Matchday Experience offering on the BT Sport App; ideas which have a strong sustainability, inclusivity or accessibility focus; and ideas which enhance the live sports experience. The deadline for entries is 31 July.

The winner will receive a “potential six-figure opportunity to work with BT to develop their idea, technology or service for future use and could even see it become available to all BT Sport customers.”

The competition is backed by BT Sport presenters Brian O’Driscoll, Suzi Perry and Robbie Savage who will be part of a panel of experts judging each of the shortlisted entries. The judging will take place in September at a special event to select the winning innovation, led by Jamie Hindhaugh, chief operating officer, BT Sport.

The judges will also include journalist and technology expert Lucy Hedges; Matt Stagg, director of mobile strategy, BT Sport; Christian Thrane, managing director, marketing, for BT’s consumer division; and Andrew Mensah, social media influencer and BT Sport presenter.

Marc Allera, CEO, BT’s consumer division, said: “Delivering world class customer experiences is one of BT’s core objectives. Innovate 21 from BT Sport is a rare and exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs to join that effort but also to gain access to BT’s renowned expertise and leadership around technology, products and innovation.”

Jamie Hindhaugh, chief operating officer, BT Sport, added: “BT is offering entrepreneurs the chance to join BT Sport’s industry-leading pursuit of providing the ultimate sports viewing experiences to customers. We are proud to have continually given our customers even more ways to watch and experience sport in recent years and Innovate 21 looks set to raise the bar even further for what BT Sport’s customers can enjoy.” Broadcast