Alibaba on the Road to Paris: “This will be one of the most innovative Games ever”
29 May 2024 – As the countdown to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 continues, the Worldwide Olympic Partners are preparing to play a fundamental role in making the Games a success. In our “Road to Paris” series, these Partners talk about some of the essential support they will be providing and reveal their excitement at helping to shape an unforgettable Olympic experience for fans and athletes alike. Here, we speak with Chris Tung, President of Strategic Development at Alibaba Group.
What is Alibaba’s main ambition with regard to its Olympic partnership?
We share the same vision as the IOC: to transform the Olympic Games for the digital era. Alibaba’s mission is to leverage its technology, especially technology on cloud computing and e-commerce platforms, to be able to enhance the experience of the spectators and fans, as well as to increase the efficiency of the Organising Committees to present the Games in a different way, in an innovative way, in a digital era.
What have been the main achievements so far?
One of the things we feel very proud of in the last couple of years is working very closely with OBS [Olympic Broadcasting Services] to transform the way that we broadcast Olympic Games content on the cloud. It actually saves a lot of costs and manpower at the venues, as well as increasing the variety and diversity of content in our current media landscape. So users will be able to enjoy more content in their news feed in a very short period of time after broadcasts, as well as enjoying the high broadcast quality. We’re seeing a good trend there and, for the upcoming Games in Paris, the cloud-based content distribution will, for the first time, be the main method for broadcasting.
What is Alibaba most looking forward to about Paris 2024?
Alibaba is particularly excited about Paris 2024. As we’re seeing, it will be one of the most innovative and exciting Games ever. And we’re there as the strategic partner of the IOC, leveraging the best part of our cloud technology, for example, to be able to support cloud-based broadcasting, as well as using multi-camera three-dimensional replay technology to be able to present the audience with a totally different and exciting way of viewing the Games. I think this will dramatically enhance the spectator experience on TV or on the internet.
And what is Alibaba looking to beyond Paris 2024?
We’re excited about a lot of the innovation projects that the IOC is leading, and which we are supporting as partners as well. I’m optimistic about the digital transformation that is taking place right now. We are trying to use a lot of cloud technology, as well as AI, to enhance the efficiency and experience of all stakeholders, including spectators, Games organisers and Media Rights-Holders. I think we’re going to see great changes along the way, and I’m optimistic that we’re going to engage more of the younger generation to support the Olympic Games very soon.
