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'''Bamtech, LLC''', doing business as '''BAMTech Media''' (stylized as '''BAMTECH'''), is a technology subsidiary of [[The Walt Disney Company]] located in [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]].<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |first1=Brooks |last1= BARNES |first2= John |last2=KOBLIN |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/08/business/media/bamtech-disney-streaming.html |title=Disney’s Big Bet on Streaming Relies on Little-Known Tech Company |work=The New York Times |date=2017-10-08 |accessdate=2018-03-09}}</ref> It was established in 2015 as a spin-off of [[MLB Advanced Media]]—the [[digital media]] arm of [[Major League Baseball]], focused on providing [[streaming video]] technology, particularly for [[over-the-top content]] (OTT) services. The company's major clients include the NHL, [[HBO]] (for its [[HBO Now]] service), the [[PGA Tour]], [[Riot Games]], [[WatchESPN]], [[PlayStation Vue]], [[WWE Network]]<ref name="variety-disneymaj"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2014/digital/news/hbo-cto-otto-berkes-resigns-as-network-enlists-mlb-to-build-ott-platform-1201375255/|title=HBO CTO Otto Berkes Resigns After Network Enlists MLB to Build OTT Platform|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=December 9, 2014|work=Variety|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|access-date=August 9, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> and [[TheBlaze]].
'''Bamtech, LLC''', doing business as '''BAMTech Media''' (stylized as '''BAMTECH'''), is a technology subsidiary of [[The Walt Disney Company]] located in [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]].<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |first1=Brooks |last1= BARNES |first2= John |last2=KOBLIN |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/08/business/media/bamtech-disney-streaming.html |title=Disney’s Big Bet on Streaming Relies on Little-Known Tech Company |work=The New York Times |date=2017-10-08 |accessdate=2018-03-09}}</ref> It was established in 2015 as a spin-off of [[MLB Advanced Media]]—the [[digital media]] arm of [[Major League Baseball]], focused on providing [[streaming video]] technology, particularly for [[over-the-top content]] (OTT) services. The company's major clients include the NHL, [[HBO]] (for its [[HBO Now]] service), the [[PGA Tour]], [[Riot Games]], [[WatchESPN]], [[PlayStation Vue]], [[WWE Network]]<ref name="variety-disneymaj"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2014/digital/news/hbo-cto-otto-berkes-resigns-as-network-enlists-mlb-to-build-ott-platform-1201375255/|title=HBO CTO Otto Berkes Resigns After Network Enlists MLB to Build OTT Platform|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=December 9, 2014|work=Variety|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|access-date=August 9, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> and [[TheBlaze]].


It was majority owned by MLB Advanced Media (which is, in turn, a consortium of MLB's [[List of Major League Baseball principal owners|principal team owners]]), with a one-third minority stake held by [[The Walt Disney Company]], and a minority stake held by the [[National Hockey League]]. In August 2017, Disney announced its intent to increase its stake to a 75% controlling stake for $1.58 billion, the deal was approved by regulators in September 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url= http://www.fiercecable.com/online-video/disney-gets-ok-from-ftc-for-1-58-billion-bamtech-buy|title=Disney gets OK from FTC for $1.58B BAMTech buy|last=Munson|first=Ben|date=September 20, 2017|newspaper=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]]|accessdate= September 20, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url= http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/feds-ok-disneys-bamtech-buy/168773|title=Feds OK Disney's BAMTech Buy|last=Eggerton|first=John|date=September 20, 2017|newspaper=Variety|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|accessdate= September 20, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>
It was majority owned by MLB Advanced Media (which is, in turn, a consortium of MLB's [[List of Major League Baseball principal owners|principal team owners]]), with a one-third minority stake held by [[The Walt Disney Company]], and a minority stake held by the [[National Hockey League]]. In August 2017, Disney announced its intent to increase its stake to a 75% controlling stake for $1.58 billion. The deal was approved by regulators in September 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url= http://www.fiercecable.com/online-video/disney-gets-ok-from-ftc-for-1-58-billion-bamtech-buy|title=Disney gets OK from FTC for $1.58B BAMTech buy|last=Munson|first=Ben|date=September 20, 2017|newspaper=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]]|accessdate= September 20, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url= http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/feds-ok-disneys-bamtech-buy/168773|title=Feds OK Disney's BAMTech Buy|last=Eggerton|first=John|date=September 20, 2017|newspaper=Variety|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|accessdate= September 20, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 12:23, 5 May 2018

BAMTECH, LLC
BAMTech Media
Company typeSubsidiary
Industry
FoundedFebruary 2015; 9 years ago (2015-02)
FounderMLB Advanced Media
Headquarters
Chelsea Market, Manhattan, New York
,
United States
Key people
  • Michael Paull (CEO)[1]
  • Joe Inzerillo (Chief technology officer)
  • Eric Lieberman (Senior vice president)
Members
Number of employees
850 (2017)[2]
SubsidiariesBAMTech Europe (JV) (50%)
Cake Solutions
Websitewww.bamtechmedia.com

Bamtech, LLC, doing business as BAMTech Media (stylized as BAMTECH), is a technology subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company located in Manhattan, New York City.[2] It was established in 2015 as a spin-off of MLB Advanced Media—the digital media arm of Major League Baseball, focused on providing streaming video technology, particularly for over-the-top content (OTT) services. The company's major clients include the NHL, HBO (for its HBO Now service), the PGA Tour, Riot Games, WatchESPN, PlayStation Vue, WWE Network[3][4] and TheBlaze.

It was majority owned by MLB Advanced Media (which is, in turn, a consortium of MLB's principal team owners), with a one-third minority stake held by The Walt Disney Company, and a minority stake held by the National Hockey League. In August 2017, Disney announced its intent to increase its stake to a 75% controlling stake for $1.58 billion. The deal was approved by regulators in September 2017.[5][6]

History

BAMTech was founded in February 2015 through MLB Advanced Media, spinning-out its streaming technology business into a separate company with outside investors. The formation of the company was approved by MLB Advanced Media's board of directors on August 13, 2015.[7] Under the plan, MLB-specific properties (such as MLB.com) would remain under league control.[8] In August 2016, The Walt Disney Company acquired a 1/3 stake in the company for $1 billion, with an option to acquire a majority stake in the future.[9]

On November 1, 2016, BAMTech announced a partnership with Discovery Communications to form a European joint venture known as BAMTech Europe. Its first client is Eurosport, the pan-European rights holder of the Olympic Games beginning 2018.[10] The following month, Riot Games announced a deal with BAMTech for the company to distribute and monetize broadcasts of professional competitions in its multiplayer video game League of Legends through 2023. BAMTech will pay Riot at least $50 million per-year, and split advertising revenue.[11][12]

On February 21, 2017, Michael Paull was named BAMTech's CEO.[13] On August 8, 2017, Disney announced that it would increase its ownership in the company to a 75% controlling stake for $1.58 billion.[14] Disney also reiterated its plan to launch an ESPN-branded over-the-top service in early-2018 followed by a Disney-branded direct-to-consumer streaming service in 2019.[3]

The company formally launched a website and corporate identity in September 2017.[15] On November 7, 2017, BAMTech acquired the Manchester-based software firm Cake Solutions. As part of the corporate re-structuring, former director of Cake Solutions, Ian Brookes departed the company.[16] Bamtech named Kevin Swint as senior vice president and general manager of the Disney forthcoming streaming service in January 2018 with Agnes Chu as programming executive.[17]

References

  1. ^ Spangler, Todd (February 21, 2017). "MLB, Disney Tap Amazon's Michael Paull as CEO of BAMTech Streaming Venture". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  2. ^ a b BARNES, Brooks; KOBLIN, John (October 8, 2017). "Disney's Big Bet on Streaming Relies on Little-Known Tech Company". The New York Times. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Spangler, Todd (August 8, 2017). "Disney to End Netflix Deal, Sets Launch of ESPN and Disney-Branded Streaming Services". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  4. ^ Spangler, Todd (December 9, 2014). "HBO CTO Otto Berkes Resigns After Network Enlists MLB to Build OTT Platform". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  5. ^ Munson, Ben (September 20, 2017). "Disney gets OK from FTC for $1.58B BAMTech buy". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  6. ^ Eggerton, John (September 20, 2017). "Feds OK Disney's BAMTech Buy". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  7. ^ Ben Popper. "The Change Up: How baseball's tech team built the future of television". The Verge. Vox Media.
  8. ^ "MLB considers spinning off its powerful streaming business". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  9. ^ Ben Rains (July 1, 2016). "Disney Prepares To Adapt To Cord Cutters With New MLBAM Deal". Sporttechie.com. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  10. ^ "Discovery, MLB's Streaming Business Partner to Launch BAMTech Europe". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  11. ^ "League of Legends' maker inks rich broadcast contract, with an eye on premium content". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  12. ^ "'League of Legends' E-Sports Contests Lure Newest Fan: Major League Baseball". The Wall Street Journal. News Corp. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  13. ^ Todd Spangler (February 21, 2017). "MLB, Disney Tap Amazon's Michael Paull as CEO of BAMTech Streaming Venture". Variety. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  14. ^ "Marvel and Star Wars films will ditch Netflix for Disney's own service". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  15. ^ "BAMTech Gets a Website, Logo". Multichannel News. NewBay Media. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  16. ^ Evison, Peter. "Cake Solutions Joins BAMTECH Media". Cake Solutions. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  17. ^ Jarvey, Natalie (January 19, 2018). "BAMTech Taps Apple Veteran to Lead Disney OTT". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
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