Delivering a TV App for 20 million Sports Fans - The Feature That Boosted Subscriber LTV by 35%

Case Study on Building Connected TV Applications

Introduction to FX Digital

• Tom Smith, co-founder of FX Digital, introduces the company, which specializes in building connected TV applications since its establishment in 2011.

• FX Digital transitioned from a traditional agency to focusing solely on streaming applications due to the complexities involved in developing for various TV devices and operating systems.

Overview of DAZN

• DAZN is introduced as an innovative sports streaming service targeting underserved markets in Germany with a focus on niche sports like volleyball and handball.

• The platform aims to provide access to sports that were previously hidden behind paywalls or lacked sufficient content.

Project Requirements and Challenges

• DAZN approached FX Digital with an immovable deadline for launching their app by August 2023, coinciding with the handball season.

• The project required development across multiple devices including Magenta I, Tizen, Amazon Fire, and Android TV while integrating backend services from Deltatre.

Technical Planning and Development Process

• Initial steps included technical planning and creating a proof of concept (POC) for the video player to ensure stable playback for live games.

• Emphasis was placed on ensuring high-quality streams since users are paying for live sports content.

Targeting Big Screen Ecosystems

• Tom discusses prioritizing app development based on market research indicating Samsung, Amazon Fire, and regional set-top boxes like Sky as key platforms.

• Challenges arose from older devices that may not perform optimally; thus, adjustments were made during development to enhance stability.

User Experience Design: Sports Switcher Feature

• A "sports switcher" feature was developed allowing users to select their preferred sport upon launching the app for a tailored experience.

• This design choice aimed at preventing user confusion by providing dedicated homepages for each sport.

Cross-Ecosystem Compatibility

• The application was built using Lightning JS—a web-based framework—to streamline development across different ecosystems without needing multiple codebases.

• Utilizing WebGL technology allowed consistent UI rendering across all platforms while minimizing discrepancies often found in traditional CSS approaches.

Pre-Certification Strategy

• Instead of just creating minimum viable products (MVP), FX Digital focused on certification-ready products that meet app store requirements before full launch.

• This strategy included early submissions to app stores while continuing further development based on feedback received during pre-certification processes.

Quality Assurance Testing

• A large manual QA team complemented by an automation lab ensured thorough testing across numerous devices using proprietary software for image comparison against design mock-ups.

• Daily regression tests provided real-time bug reports enabling quick fixes post-deployment.

Performance Metrics Post Launch

• Key statistics revealed significant usage patterns among CTV device users with Magenta and Sky being top performers since launch.

• Live viewing accounted for 63% of engagement time highlighting the importance of user experience during live events.

Insights into User Engagement

• Users primarily engaged with live content rather than VOD options; opportunities exist to enhance shoulder content offerings such as highlights or documentaries.

• Personalization at sign-up showed promising results; those who selected a preferred sport had a 35% increase in customer lifetime value.

Future Opportunities & Analytics Integration

• Average monthly watch time per user stood at around 15 hours indicating strong commitment among subscribers.

• Suggestions were made regarding potential multi-view experiences post-game allowing users to catch up on missed action seamlessly.

Reflections & Improvements

• If given more time, Tom expressed interest in enhancing features like multi-view capabilities based on observed viewing behaviors after live games concluded.

• Collaboration with DAZN's BI team could have improved analytics tracking architecture leading to better data insights throughout the project lifecycle.