Soccer Powerhouse Argentine Football Association Looks to Dominate Digital World At CES, Launches Channels on Major OTT Devices with ViewLift Platform

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Jan 06, 2020, 10:32 ET

LAS VEGAS and BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Jan. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As leaders of technology, media and sports gather for the annual Consumer Electronics Show, the national governing body of Argentine football, a perennial soccer powerhouse, became the first world football federation to launch branded channels on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku, as well as smartphones (both iOS and Android systems), tablets, Chromecast and the web. Asociación de Fútbol Argentino's (AFA) new subscription service AFA Play will be powered by ViewLift, a leading global streaming technology platform. The announcement was made by the AFA and ViewLift executive teams. AFA's new digital channels will feature football documentaries and unique short-form features about Argentine soccer legends, including Diego Armando Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Paulo Dybala, reaching fans globally on-demand. Unique insights into the current squad, led by Lionel Scaloni, are also offered, including coverage of the intra-team PlayStation contests.

Claudio Tapia, President of the Argentine Football Association said: "One of our first objectives when taking on management of the AFA has been to increase the global visibility of Argentine soccer and increase the resources for our sport, opening new markets such as Asia, adding new sponsors and increasing our digital footprint. AFA Play responds to all these objectives. On the one hand, it creates a new business unit, providing the AFA with a new revenue stream. Equally, it puts the AFA and Argentine football in front of the whole world, with the rich history of the Argentine national team and its beloved stars. In doing so, we not only honor the past, but spotlight the next generation of the world's best players. Our new digital channels will span the globe, and be personal enough to cover the national teams while showcasing each player. AFA Play becomes an important new asset for AFA that reinforces our presence in the world and our economy. We invite all those who are part of our national teams to participate in this new project and show their talent to the world."

The ViewLift state-of-the-art streaming platform brings the best AFA content to a global fan-base. The Argentinian Association aims to grow its audience and increase viewership across all media, reaching new viewers across the globe and providing an enhanced experience for dedicated fans. ViewLift operates a worldwide OTT platform that will transform the viewership experience for AFA fans through ubiquitous streaming over the leading over-the-top devices. Fans can now follow in depth their favorite players on the national team that has twice won the World Cup, with exclusive content about the teams and the players and their history; and relive past America and World Cups.

"Leaders in the world's biggest sport deserve the best digital tools to reach fans everywhere", noted Rick Allen, ViewLift's CEO. "AFA Play is a ground-breaker, available on all major mobile and OTT devices. And this is just the beginning, with new content coming frequently. AFA Play is a beautiful way to enjoy the beautiful game, and we are proud to be the Asociación's partner to power the service."

About ViewLift: ViewLift is a full-service digital content distribution platform empowering media companies, sports leagues and teams, education providers and others to monetize their content through native branded apps on major OTT devices including web, mobile, TV connected devices, Smart TVs and gaming consoles. ViewLift's founding team brings years of domain experience as an operator (not just a technology provider) and strong industry relationships to offer a complete end-to-end solution for creating, launching and monetizing video applications across all major device platforms. ViewLift operates across the digital ecosystem, understanding each device's unique requirements and best practices. ViewLift offers clients a range of monetization models on a proprietary platform with advanced analytics, tracking performance in real-time. ViewLift is backed by leading VCs, including NewView Capital, Comcast Ventures, and Clark Enterprises, as well as tech and media pioneers Ted Leonsis, Steve and Jean Case, Robert McCormack and others. ViewLift clients include: Monumental Sports Network; My Outdoor TV; Nexstar; DraftKings; Italian basketball Lega Nazionale Pallacanestro; Lax Sports Network/FTF; SnagFilms; and others.

Web: www.afaplay.com

SOURCE ViewLift