Barry O’Brien backs new ‘hybrid’ telco startup Ovo to be as disruptive as Netflix
Chairman: O’Brien
Former Network Ten sales boss Barry O’Brien has thrown his weight behind a new ‘hybird’ telco called Ovo, which aims to entice customers with exclusive and data free content.
The new service has inked a three year deal with V8 Supercars on launch to give its customers data-free access to a new app and the Supercars website, in a bid to tap into the 3.5m fans the sport claims to have in Australia.
But O’Brien told Mumbrella it was in talks with five other content and rights owners from the worlds of sport and entertainment in a bid to build an even more attractive offering.
O’Brien, who was CEO of media agency PHD and has a stake in another agency Atomic 212, is the chairman of Ovo’s parent company My Mobile Data.
He told Mumbrella: “We can’t go after the NRL or AFL right (both owned by Telstra) but it’s amazing when you get below the top tier sports quite how many opportunities there are. They’ve got massive and very passionate followings and are happy to talk to us. The idea is that we can give you stuff that others can’t.”
“Just as Netflix has redefined how consumers watch programmes, OVO changes how fans engage with sports and entertainment and consume content,” he added.
While that content will include live trackside commentary, live in-car stats and telemetery and behind-the-scenes exclusives it does not have any broadcast video, which is tied-up in Fox Sports’ deal with the sport.
The model follows that being forged by the likes of Telstra and Optus, which have both created new deals with sports codes in recent weeks in a bid to create a more compelling content offering for potential new customers.
Ovo will offer phone plans from $29.95 per month which will give fans two hours of unmetered access to the content per month, with the $69.95 plan including up to five hours of action.
The company has also been named as the official telco sponsor of V8 Supercars, and runs on the Optus network.
O’Brien said they would also look to integrate third-party advertising onto its platform in the future as another revenue stream. He said it would also launch its own marketing
The company is set to go live on Friday, December 4, with people able to buy sim cards online to be delivered in the mail.
Alex Hayes
2 hours of a super car race? Perhaps they could also offer the first set of the Australian Open Final or the first 6 minutes of an AFL game.
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I wonder how Drake feels about someone else using the OVO name.
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The service must be good. Their website contains breathless quotes from delighted customers about just how fantastic the V8 Supercar coverage is.
And they haven’t even launched yet.
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Congrats Barry
I know of your passion of media and this service is a fantastic step up for us V8 fans I will be a subscriber for sure and look forward to supporting this great move forward.
Happy to give you feedback directly should you want it.
Regards
JD
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Watching the V8’s with my woes……
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Just went onto this ovo site— and please.. waterpolo, drag, drift, sailing, gymnastics…..
the idea is there but with no mainstream sports this ‘OVO’ will never be a big player.
to take the AFL, NRL, EPL rights off the telstra’s and optus’s….. they are going to need some serious backers with some very deep pockets.
The only sport they have is V8s and cant even show races. nice idea, not going to happen
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