Serving Up Volleyball 24/7: How Applicaster And JWP Helped VBTV Reach A Worldwide Audience
In this five-part video series, Volleyball World CEO Finn Taylor and CRO Stéphanie Giardina explain how they worked with Applicaster and JWP to create the new VBTV, a CTV app that lets them reach a worldwide base of fans for what Taylor notes is “the third or fourth biggest sport in the world” with over 800 million players and fans.
In this first video, CRO Stéphanie Giardino explains why Volleyball World transitioned from working with a single partner to collaborating with JWP and Applicaster. The goal was to gain more control over the customer experience, improve the front end, and significantly enhance streaming quality. She highlights how JWP and Applicaster's pre-existing integration enabled a quicker launch and the importance of flexibility and customization in their choice.
In the second video, CEO Finn Taylor explains Volleyball World's mission to capitalize on the global popularity of the sport by organizing international events, selling TV and sponsorship rights, and developing VBTV, a streaming TV platform. Taylor highlights the global reach of volleyball, which ranks as the third or fourth most popular sport in the world, with 800 million fans. VBTV aims to give fans worldwide access to top-level volleyball content year-round, providing coverage of major tournaments in multiple languages.
In the third video, Finn Taylor discusses the success of VBTV, which has gained over 1.5 million members in just three years. This growth allows brands to establish direct connections with volleyball fans, offering more targeted advertising compared to traditional "splash and hope" methods. VBTV's direct-to-consumer approach provides valuable data on viewer preferences, creating new opportunities for sponsors. Taylor also explains why brands are increasingly interested in building more intimate connections with the fan base. Stéphanie Giardina adds that VBTV must also consider TV rights in different markets when structuring distribution deals, which is facilitated by partnerships with JWP and Applicaster.
In the fourth video in the series, Finn Taylor highlights the key regions for volleyball, noting that about 55% of global volleyball fans are in Asia, making it a major market for the sport. He also sees significant opportunities in Brazil and the US, both of which are passionate about volleyball. Taylor notes VBTV's commitment to producing and broadcasting 3,500 games annually, providing fans with access to their favorite volleyball content year-round, whether it's beach volleyball, the US Big 10, or international tournaments like the Volleyball Nations League (VNL).
In the last video, Finn Taylor lays out the distinction between indoor and beach volleyball and how both sports have dedicated fan bases around the world. Taylor also explains that VBTV primarily broadcasts professional volleyball, including top-level leagues like Italy's men's and women's leagues, which feature many Olympians. While some NCAA and semi-pro games are broadcast, the focus is mostly on professional indoor and beach volleyball.
