Screach secures $2mn to launch sports streaming internationally

Screach is designed to give broadcasters and sports rights holders a frictionless, low-cost way to generate revenue from enterprise venues and access to what the developer says is a $10 billion global market. Screach’s smart TV app gives venues a hardware-free way to stream the sports content they want, while also earning advertising revenue from their existing TVs.

The cloud-based platform aggregates all live sports content available in a user’s home country into a single place. Enterprise venues such as bars, cafes, hotels and gyms access the content via the Screach smart TV app, which is already available in 157 countries. Screenreach runs a freemium model; its app is free to download and offers the venue a free marketing and advertising channel that includes programmable digital signage and revenue-generating third party adverts. Using Screach’s web-based portal, the venue can then use a single log-in to purchase any sports subscriptions or pay-per-view events they wish.

The funding round included investment by Hotspur Capital and what the company calls high net worth (HNW) individuals who together with the British Business Bank’s Future Fund have provided $2 million in growth capital to power Screenreach’s international roll-out.

Screenreach believes that the service can enable broadcasters and the owners of sports rights a “frictionless” way to deliver their content directly to enterprise venues, with no capital costs. It adds that selling content to enterprise venues is a powerful way for rights owners to boost subscription revenue and raise awareness of their direct-to-consumer offering.

“The streaming revolution has left few corners of the consumer market untouched – with millions of people around the world embracing the ease and abundance of content available on countless new streaming services,” commented Screenreach CEO Robert Rawlinson.

“Understandably, during lockdown the focus of broadcasters and rights holders has been on getting content into people’s homes. But as commercial venues reopen, the Screach platform offers a frictionless way for sports rights owners to extend their reach into the globally underserved enterprise market. we’re in advanced discussions with a string of international broadcasters and top tier sport rights holders. We expect to announce several exciting partnerships in the coming months, that will all lead to the delivery of live sports content to commercial venues via our next generation streaming and advertising platform.” Rapid TV News