Customer Spotlight

Canada Games scales live streaming by 200% with Vimeo

Canada Games is the country's largest multi-sport competition for amateur athletes, founded in 1967 and celebrating its 30th edition. Held every two years alternating between summer and winter, the organization brings together all 13 provinces and territories under one umbrella, hosting over 3,000 athletes while building the next generation of leaders.

200%

increase in hours of coverage

1.1M / 30.7M

Livestream Views / Mins Watched


20+

concurrent live streams

Challenge

Canada Games was facing a significant challenge: How do you live stream events across one of the world's largest and most geographically vast countries? From mountain bike trails and highways to swimming pools and lacrosse arenas, the organization needed to broadcast 40 different sports from venues that often had no existing streaming infrastructure.

The sports venues were just the beginning. With athletes’ families spread across enormous distances with varying internet capabilities, Canada Games also needed a video platform that could deliver consistent quality to all viewers, no matter where they live or what kind of internet connection they have.

The traveling nature of the Games, moving from community to community every two years, added another layer of complexity. Canada Games wanted a reliable solution that could work seamlessly at any location.


"We wanted to make sure that what we produced was accessible for Canadians. Vimeo has been able to help us with a platform that can adapt to the bandwidth of the user on the other side."
— Kelly-Ann Paul, President and CEO

Solution

Canada Games chose Vimeo's streaming platform, which automatically adjusts to the viewer’s internet connection.

Whether it's grandparents watching from a remote northern community with slower internet or families in downtown Vancouver with high-speed connections, everyone gets the best possible video quality for their situation. This was essential for Canada Games, which wanted to keep its content free and accessible to all.

The Vimeo platform also solved a big logistical headache for Canada Games as a traveling event. The plug-and-play solution moves easily from community to community, giving the organization the same reliable streaming experience regardless of what the local setup looks like. 

Beyond solving technical challenges, the partnership delivered unexpected business value. Canada Games relies on corporate sponsorship, as it's not entirely publicly funded. Vimeo's customizable graphics feature enabled it to offer branded streaming packages to sponsors, creating a new revenue stream for host societies.


Outcome

The Vimeo partnership has completely changed how Canada Games connects with people across the country. It’s now aiming for 100,000 unique views and over one million total views per Games, with viewers watching for an average of 28 minutes at a time.

The platform works seamlessly across laptops, phones, tablets, and TVs, which has empowered it to reach different generations. As CEO Kelly-Ann Paul puts it, her three kids watch content in completely different ways than she does, and the platform handles all viewing preferences.

“With the platform that we have with Vimeo, we're able to bring almost every game, almost every sport, almost every opportunity into the living rooms of Canadians so that friends and families can watch,” says Kelly-Ann. “We're ensuring that the Canada Games can reach greater audiences in this country.”

Beyond streaming capabilities, the solution creates meaningful connections that capture what Canada Games is all about: building community and supporting each other. Families never have to miss their loved ones competing, whether they can't afford to travel or live thousands of miles away.

"At the 2022 Canada Summer Games in Niagara, we had an athlete that was diagnosed with cancer leading into the games, and he was unfortunately unable to travel,” remembers Kelly-Ann. “However, the live stream on this platform meant he could watch his team all the way up to and including the gold medal game."

The Vimeo platform is so reliable that every athlete has their support system cheering them on, even when they can't be there in person. This has helped Canada Games truly deliver on its mission of connecting the country through sport.


“Live streaming is absolutely critical for us to connect with families, fans, and communities across this great, vast country. Vimeo has been an invaluable partner in helping us achieve our broadcast goals. It's about more than just broadcasting events. It's about building a national community around sport.”
— Kelly-Ann PaulPresident and CEO
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