RTL Newmedia in Belgium is launching a new feature on its Club RTL second-screen app, designed specifically for UEFA Champions League and Europa League viewers.
The new Club RTL app, developed for iOS and Android in conjunction with Tevizz and EVS, will be available for the entire 2013-2014 season, covering both leagues.
This new feature brings together image and social media functions in a single application. As soon as the match kicks off, viewers will be able to watch match highlights on their tablet or smart phone, and read comments about each clip from social media. As well as the videos themselves, users will automatically receive real-time commentaries from celebrities, football professionals, popular bloggers and fans. Viewers will also be able to share messages with their Facebook friends and Twitter followers, as well as engage in debates and share their favourite moments on RTL’s Facebook and Twitter pages and on RTL Sport’s live chat.
This solution, the first of its type in the world, has been developed for RTL Newmedia in partnership with Tevizz and EVS.
Jean-Jacques Deleeuw, director, RTL Newmedia, RTL Belgium, said in a statement: “This revolutionary feature brings together instant video replay and targeted social media monitoring capabilities. It is a central part of our strategy, combining first and second screens and social TV. Together, these multiple screens and social content deliver an enriched user experience.”
Didier Joos de ter Beerst, CEO, Tevizz: “Tevizz has been working with RTL Newmedia on a series of innovative new social media and second-screen solutions. We are delighted to be working with EVS to deliver this unique solution, which will enable RTL to provide an enriched experience to football fans everywhere. RTL has shown that well-established broadcasters, through innovation and high-quality content, are capable of remaining at the cutting edge in today’s new era, where online, mobile, social media and TV technologies come together.”
Luc Doneux, EVP, Sports Division, EVS, added: “Our C-Cast solution has been designed to enhance end-user experience by aggregating and displaying third-party content such as statistics and social media messages with live multi-camera video footage. For the Club RTL app, Tevizz’s technology integrates seamlessly with our C-Cast solution, as social media comments and messages are linked with the timeline of video clips produced with EVS’s production systems. As a result, Club RTL now offers an enhanced user experience and capitalises upon the full range of resources at its disposal.”