The ORLEN Ekstraliga Kobiet has been experimenting with new ways to bring fans closer to the game, and the recent Watch Party was one of those moments that felt like a quiet shift. Not a loud revolution, but something that made you think, “Yes, this could catch on.”
It happened during the 10th round match between GKS Katowice and GROT SMS Łódź, a game that already had plenty of excitement on the pitch. This time, though, the focus stretched beyond the stadium.

Better Media Solutions powered the entire streaming environment, and the Watch Party experience itself came from Sceenic’s technology, which we integrated into our OTT platform. It might sound simple on paper. In practice, it meant a lot of careful work to make everything feel effortless for the viewer.

A Different Kind of Match Experience

Inside the Watch Party space, fans could react to the match together and follow the live stream as if they were gathered in the same room. Some chatted, others preferred just to observe the flow of comments and reactions. A few even created small viewing rooms. It wasn’t a perfect simulation of a group watching a match at home, but it came surprisingly close.

People sometimes underestimate how much those small interactions matter. A smile reaction after a goal. Someone joking about a missed chance. It gives the match a background noise that feels familiar.

How We Built It

The project relied on two layers working together. Our OTT platform handled the streaming side, the quality adjustments, the low latency, and everything that keeps a match stable on different devices. The interactive layer came from Sceenic. Their tools created the Watch Party interface, the synchronisation between viewers, and the real time overlays.

Here are the most important elements that held the experience together:

  • live streaming tuned for low latency
  • HLS transcoding so the picture quality adjusted smoothly
  • synchronised viewing across devices
  • Sceenic’s interactive features integrated into the player
  • the visual layout aligned with the ORLEN Ekstraliga Kobiet branding

None of these pieces works on its own. Paired together, they shaped something that fans could actually use for a full match without feeling lost or overwhelmed.

Why the Watch Party Matters

More and more viewers expect online sports to feel connected, not isolated. They already share reactions on social media, but this kind of environment keeps everything in one place. It gives leagues and federations a chance to create their own digital “home” for fans.

The Ekstraliga’s first Watch Party showed that supporters are open to it. Some joined out of curiosity, others because they already follow the league closely. And once they were inside, the interaction seemed to keep them there longer than a regular stream would.

Krzysztof Musiał, CEO of Better Media Solutions, described how the whole setup outlines a possible direction for the future:

“Considering the technological solutions used here, particularly the OTT platform (BMS), live streaming, HLS transcoding and the challenges related to low latency and synchronisation of interactive overlays (Watch Party), this technology fits perfectly into the future PZPN OTT platform, defining a modern user experience.
This technology enables the federation to take full control of the fan experience. With its own innovations, the PZPN platform will offer something that traditional TV channels cannot provide, making it a unique and irreplaceable source of content for the most dedicated fans.”

I think this point resonates: having full ownership of the experience means every element can be shaped with intention. There’s freedom in that.

Looking Ahead

The first Watch Party gave us plenty to think about. Some parts worked exactly as expected, others revealed areas where we can go further. A few examples stayed with us:

  • interaction tools need to stay responsive even when many people join at once
  • synchronisation can always be refined a bit more
  • visible branding helps fans recognise where they are and who stands behind the experience
  • moderation tools matter more than people assume

All of this points to one thing. The format has room to grow. It can support sponsor activations, special matchday events, or even premium access for superfans. And for the federation, it opens a path to owning more of the digital relationship with the audience.

Final Thoughts

At Better Media Solutions we see streaming not only as a way to deliver a match but as a space where people gather. When Sceenic’s interactive technology was combined with our OTT platform, the match turned into a shared moment rather than an isolated viewing.

The Watch Party in the ORLEN Ekstraliga Kobiet was a first step, but it already showed how digital environments can bring fans closer to the game. And perhaps this is the part that matters most. It made watching a match feel a little less solitary and a little more like being part of something.

If the future of sports streaming moves in this direction, experiences like this will likely become the norm rather than the exception.