With Gracenote data placing the aggregate number of individual free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels in 21 countries at more than 1,800 it’s not easy for indie startup media brands to find an early toehold.
But launched in June, Swerve TV’s new women’s sports-themed channel Swerve Sports seems to have found some early momentum.
Last week free ad-supported streaming TV service The Roku Channel launched just over 40 free linear channels in the UK, Swerve Sports among them.
“Right now, we're using the same feed that we're using for the U.S. and Canada,” Swerve TV Chair Christy Tanner told StreamTV Insider. “But over time, we will localize the UK feed to cater to the sports tastes of the UK audience. And as we grow, we expect to launch in other international markets.”
Roku and Paramount’s Pluto TV have emerged as key early distribution partners for Swerve Sports, which has leveraged the brand awareness of its better established sibling FAST channel, the fighting-sports-focused Swerve Combat. Swerve Sports is also distributed in the U.S. via Free Live Sports, Lights Out Sports and Team.
Meanwhile, Athletes Unlimited, which manages pro leagues focused on women’s basketball, volleyball and softball, has been one of Swerve Sports’ biggest content partners. Early on, Swerve merely re-ran games from Athletes Unlimited’s most recent pro hoops and volleyball seasons. But in an expansion of the relationship, also announced last week, nine of the 24 upcoming October matches for the current Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball season will run on Swerve TV. The league features 44 of the world’s top pro women’s volleyball players. All nine matches will be shown on Swerve Sports in both the U.S. and the UK.
“The ability to build fandom around live events is tremendous in FAST right now,” Tanner said. “We're leveraging all of our marketing capability to bring the biggest possible audience to those live volleyball matches, and we're seeing enthusiasm for not only volleyball, but the ability to watch these games live.”
Working with high-caliber pro athletes with large social followings is key to building Swerve Sports’ audience, Tanner added.
"What works best, in terms of generating awareness, is when athletes with social followings promote viewing on FAST. I will say hands-down the No. 1 driver of incremental viewership is athletes promoting awareness to their followings. They have such tremendous influence.”
Tanner wouldn’t disclose specific audience figures. But out of the gate she said Swerve Sports has also found early audience momentum with INTENNSE, a new pro tennis league, which ran its championship tournament on the FAST channel. So-called “timber sports” — competitive axe- and chainsaw chopping — have also been a hit with viewers, as have live and recorded tackle football games from the Women’s National Football Conference.
Finally, capping an active week of announcements, Swerve Sports also touted a programming relationship with Rebel Girls, which describes itself as a “girls empowerment brand.” Premiering this past Saturday, six episodes of Rebel Girls Sports Hour, featuring teen host Pepper Presley, debuted on Swerve Sports.
“I think we are seeing FAST audiences become younger,” Tanner added. “And I think that the range of sports that we've seen perform well reflects younger audiences’ willingness and interest in following more than a handful of sports.”