India’s streaming infrastructure redraws sports production

Mass live audiences are pushing broadcasters to rethink streaming reliability.

India’s sports broadcasting industry is becoming a global reference point for streaming infrastructure as international media companies study how the market delivers live sports to hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.

Speaking at the sidelines of SVG Summit in Mumbai, Alessandro Reitano, Senior Vice President of Sports Production at Sky Deutschland and Chairman of SVG Europe, said India’s production environment presents operational demands that many European broadcasters do not typically face.

He said India’s ability to support large-scale live audiences with consistent reliability has become one of the most closely watched aspects of the market.

“We cannot imagine how complex it really is to have a market where you have to serve 600–700 million people at the same time with reliability,” Reitano said.

The discussion highlighted the contrast between India’s mobile-first streaming model and Europe’s broadcast landscape, where cable, satellite, and set-top-box distribution remain central to live sports delivery.

According to Reitano, India’s approach to digital delivery and mobile viewing is increasingly influencing how European broadcasters think about future infrastructure.

“This is something we can really learn from the Indian market,” he said. “How JioStar in India is approaching digital-first, how they translate the product into coming to life on mobile devices.”

Beyond distribution, Reitano said centralised and software-driven production systems are also changing how broadcasters manage live sports operations. He said technology is helping simplify workflows, allowing production teams to focus more on storytelling and collaboration rather than technical coordination.

Reitano added that software systems, data integration, and artificial intelligence are increasingly being used to support creative decision-making, rather than replace editorial teams.

“So storytelling is in the center of everything,” Reitano said.

He also described SVG as a platform for operational exchange, where broadcasters from India, Europe, and the U.S. can discuss streaming reliability, workflow coordination, software systems, and production challenges.

As sports viewing continues to shift toward digital and mobile platforms, Reitano said India’s production systems are becoming more relevant to global broadcasters planning for the next phase of live event delivery.