LONDON — April 17, 2023 — M2A Media, leading experts in cloud-based live video solutions, today announced that Universal Tennis has chosen M2A Media’s live IP transport product, M2A CONNECT, to automate, optimize, and manage the transport of its live match feeds to partners, affiliates, and third-party service providers. The M2A CONNECT deployment supports Universal Tennis as it seeks to engage an even larger global audience and elevate the UTR Pro Tennis Tour to new heights on Amazon Prime globally.
“As we look to grow the global audience for the UTR Pro Tennis Tour, Amazon Web Services (AWS) recommended looking at the M2A CONNECT solution,” said Kelly Forese, president of Universal Tennis LLC. “M2A CONNECT is providing an effective and flexible solution for delivering our sports content at scale over the cloud with AWS. In particular, the ease with which M2A CONNECT can be integrated and their professional services during the implementation were strengths for this project.”
Universal Tennis is on a mission to grow tennis through level-based play with the UTR Rating, and as the owner and organizing body of the UTR Pro Tennis Tour (PTT), with responsibility for its rules and regulations, code of conduct, tournament format, and related streaming and commercial rights. The organization partners with federations and organizers globally to deliver over 150 $25,000 tournaments annually to support aspiring pro players. Players earn more prize money and improve faster with the PTT’s innovative World Cup-style format. By streaming 100% of all PTT matches, coaches, family, and fans are able to enjoy watching the action from anywhere.
Universal Tennis chose M2A CONNECT due to speed and because of M2A Media’s advanced expertise in automation and orchestration of AWS Media Services and AWS Cloud. M2A CONNECT also enables easy integration with Universal Tennis’ other partners.
M2A CONNECT is helping to syndicate live match feeds through progressive cloud services at an affordable price. By leveraging AWS Elemental MediaConnect and the AWS global network topology, M2A CONNECT enables an HD content distribution service to manage Universal Tennis’ B2B IP transport streams.
Videon enabled the hybrid-cloud deployment with the Videon Compute Platform, encompassing LiveEdge® and the EdgeCaster family, providing on-premises automation, SCTE-35 ad marker insertion, monitoring, and remote cloud control from M2A CONNECT. With a hybrid-cloud deployment, Universal Tennis has a future-proof solution that can acquire live video feeds courtside, schedule the provisioning of AWS resources, and monitor those streams through the delivery chain and onwards.
“M2A Media is among a new breed of cloud innovators that is changing the face of broadcast to meet the needs of contemporary rights owners and their audiences,” said Matt Hughes, chief commercial officer, M2A Media. “The deployment at Universal Tennis is another use case that demonstrates how leading global brands are benefiting from effective hybrid-cloud solutions.”
To learn more about the UTR Pro Tennis Tour click here, and to watch it on Prime, click here.
# # #
About M2A Media
M2A Media is a cloud media services company with software engineering at its core. We help rights owners and broadcasters distribute their live and on-demand video. Our approach is to build innovative software tooling on top of AWS Media Services, enabling efficient operational delivery.
We’re all about embracing the power of the cloud for video distribution and cost-effective, flexible workflows. We have that rare mix of savvy software engineering and bullet-proof operational support. It is this combined expertise that places us at the forefront of innovation in cloud-based video delivery. Our products are trusted by global broadcasters and sports rights owners including ATP Media, DAZN, BritBox, ITV and Channel 4.
About Universal Tennis
The mission of Universal Tennis is to connect and grow the sports of tennis and pickleball with innovative events and a global digital marketplace centered around level-based play. The Universal Tennis Engagement Platform is anchored by the UTR Rating, the world’s most accurate singles and doubles tennis rating system. Universal Tennis provides the tools and solutions to make the UTR Rating relevant and valuable to players, coaches, and organizers in their local tennis communities. Universal Tennis is creating opportunities and pathways, including the UTR Pro Tennis Tour, for players from all over the world, in all stages of life, to find better matches and unlock a more fun and flexible tennis experience.
New since 2023, Universal Tennis is offering one home for tennis and pickleball, beginning a new chapter by bringing pickleball rating and technology solutions to another racquet sport. Universal Tennis enables its customers to use its UTR Pickleball Rating and event management software to create accessible, competitive level-based events.
About the UTR Pro Tennis Tour (PTT)
The UTR Pro Tennis Tour officially began on January 1, 2021, with a three-year commitment of over $20 million to support tennis globally with prize money, venue support, technology, logistics, and competitive play opportunities. Universal Tennis is the owner and organizing body of the UTR Pro Tennis Tour (PTT), with responsibility for its rules and regulations, code of conduct, tournament format and related streaming and commercial rights. The UTR Pro Tennis Tour was started to create a development tour. With fewer events and substantially reduced prize money, aspiring professional players were increasingly struggling in the pursuit of their dreams. Working with host venues and national federations, Universal Tennis provides additive and complementary opportunities to help emerging players and the broader tennis community.
Link to Word Doc: www.wallstcom.com/M2AMedia/230417-M2A_Media-Universal_Tennis.docx
Photo Links:
www.wallstcom.com/M2AMedia/KM036856.jpg
www.wallstcom.com/M2AMedia/2022-11-01-2022-W_UTR-028-.jpg
Photo Caption: Universal Tennis chooses M2A Media to syndicate delivery of live match feeds in the cloud.
