Soccer Focus Focus Flex Capture Performance Analysis News Product News

The ECNL 2024 National Playoffs: 2,200 Hours Powered by Hudl Focus Flex

Aug 06, 2024

2 Min Read

By Brad Hilligoss

Sr. Content Producer @BradHilligoss

Hudl’s portable smart camera for soccer supercharges the ECNL’s biggest event.

In another landmark occasion in their partnership, the ECNL and Hudl teamed up to livestream the ECNL national playoffs for fans.

The event featured 1,104 livestreams, with over 22,000 hours watched by 45,000 fans. Add it all up, and that’s 30 million seconds streamed and seen by families, fans and recruiters.

Chris Leahey, Commissioner of the ECNL Regional League, said Hudl Focus Flex exceeds the expectations of the ECNL as a year-round capture solution. It also serves as the livestreaming solution they trust for national events.

"All of those features that the [Focus Flex] camera can afford, not just from a livestreaming standpoint, but just the pure accessibility of these games is key,” Leahey said.

There’s been a massive increase in demand for livestreams of club and youth sports since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Families invest time and money in the athlete experience, in return they ask organizations and teams to provide access and visibility.

The ECNL and Hudl keep this top of mind year-round, with the league’s National Playoffs each summer as a top priority. This is the second consecutive year the ECNL livestreamed the entire Girls’ and Boys’ tournaments with Hudl Focus Flex.

The ECNL Girls’ and Boy’s National Playoffs are two of the country’s most prestigious youth soccer events. The talent, level of competition and recruiting opportunities make them high-stakes events. Scouts and college coaches everywhere tune in to watch up-and-coming talent, and all video is available for them in Wyscout—the global football library.

During the events, Hudl experts team up with Nutmeg Sports Media—a sports videography and photography company based in Texas, owned and operated by Mark Torres—to handle all the on-the-ground filming, livestreaming and uploading logistics.

“It doesn't run as efficiently without the involvement on the ground, I can say that for sure. It's a big undertaking,” Leahey said.

The highly collaborative, boots-on-the-ground approach amongst the ECNL, Hudl and Nutmeg Sports Media produced a seamless experience for fans watching at home and for teams using game film to prepare for their next match in the National Playoff.

For two partner organizations set on shaping the future of soccer, there’s no better example of pioneering what’s possible than the monumental success of this year’s ECNL National Playoffs.

“For us, it provides an opportunity to set a standard,” Leahey said.

In addition to livestreaming national and regional events with Hudl Focus Flex, the ECNL has a nationwide league exchange on Hudl. The exchange connects clubs, equipping teams with the video and data to prepare better than ever.

Focus Flex simplifies and empowers the ECNL and its member clubs to be their best.

“For the league as a whole, it's something that separates us from other leagues,” Leahey said. “That ability to go to a game that might be 6 or 7 hours away and to not have to bring your camera knowing the other club is filming and uploading but that you'll have that same access and then it’s uploaded when you get back home.”

Continuing to enhance and improve the streaming experience is a top priority, and ECNL and Hudl are committed to working on ways to bring the game to fans across the country.

Hudl Focus Flex powers teams, clubs and leagues with top-notch film everywhere they play. Discover why recording, uploading and lifestreaming are better with Focus Flex.

The Flex Effect