The final of Super Rugby Aupiki was streamed live on TikTok, in a world first for a professional final. The Blues and the Chiefs Manawa produced some scintillating rugby on the field, and off the field the stream was just as good.
Broadcaster Sky Sports NZ and telecommunications company 2Degrees partnered to deliver a product worthy of the match being played. The Blues ran out winners in a thrilling finale to the longest Aupiki season yet. We take a look at the good, the bad, and the wonderful of expanding the game to a new broadcasting format and market.
The Good
The production quality of the stream was a lot higher than I was expecting. Honestly, the production was better than a lot of broadcasts I have watched on traditional media. The stream was well thought out and creative. They filmed specifically for the vertical format, and tailored the graphics to fit around features like the comment section.
The engagement-based content was well done, without being over the top. There were polls spread throughout the stream, live crosses to roving reporters, and spot prizes for commenters. Much like the production, the stream took advantage of the opportunities created by using a non-traditional broadcast format.
In a strange quirk, the TikTok stream was almost 30 seconds ahead of the paid stream on the broadcaster’s website.
The Bad
The only real criticism I have of the stream is occasionally the camera was behind the play by about half a second. This was likely due to the vertical format, and will be ironed out as this becomes more commonplace and camera operators shoot for this format more.
The Wonderful
The absolute highlight of the stream occurred during a live cross during the first half. One of the roving reporters was interviewing a Chiefs Manawa fan in the stands. At the precise moment she was handed the microphone, the Manawa made a break and she got to commentate the whole thing. Her enthusiasm and joy were infectious, and showed the real benefit of this format over traditional broadcasts.
The stream was free. Most sport in Aotearoa New Zealand is locked behind a paywall, so to have this freely available was a breath of fresh air. You could put it down simply as a consequence of streaming on TikTok, but the decision still had to be made to put it there and not behind a paywall.
There were also no ad breaks during the stream. Yes, there was a large number of shoutouts to 2Degrees by the commentators and on the graphics, but not once did the stream cut to ads. In a world where we are constantly being sold something, it was amazing to be able to actually just enjoy the content. Because I had the paid stream up as well I could directly compare. A good portion of the halftime break was filled with ads on the paid stream. Whereas, the TikTok halftime featured a bit of the usual analysis before switching to fun, engagement-based content.
@skysportnz The Blues win the Sky #SuperRugbyAupiki Final at the death! 🤩
The Verdict
This world-first attempt at streaming a professional sports final on TikTok was an absolute triumph. While it wasn’t perfect, there was a lot more good than bad. It showed the potential of live sports being broadcast in a non-traditional format and the benefit of being innovative. I can’t wait to see where this can be taken next and what could be done with more investment.
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