Funding from UEFA Assist has provided each of the Oceania Football Confederation’s 11 Member Associations with brand new TV, media and digital live streaming equipment, which is being put to use for the first time at a dedicated workshop in Lautoka, Fiji last week.
The hybrid workshop was delivered in person to Member Association media officers who were able to attend in person, alongside online delivery for those not able to travel due to the ongoing border restrictions in place for parts of Oceania.
Twenty tutorial videos, produced by Instructor for UEFA Olivier Huc and members of the OFC Commercial and Communications Department, were also produced from the workshop, which ran from June 15-17.
Content was made available in both French and English and provided to Member Associations so they can learn at their own pace and share with their wider staff.
As part of the OFC’s goal of elevating professionalism in the region and qualifying two teams to the FIFA World Cups in 2026 and 2027, equipment upgrades and capacity building were identified as key areas of focus.
Sessions included demonstrating the setting up of TV, media and digital equipment, using smart phones for mobile journalism, editing on laptops, how to use photography cameras, video cameras and how to live stream on these devices.
OFC Head of Commercial and Communications Steffi Ah Yuk said the impact of the pandemic has seen a reshape in the Commercial and Communications strategy, to cope with the current market landscape and expand the communications focus from competitions to other key organisational areas.
“Included in this is dedicated communications support to football development across all 11 MAs, that will enable the promotion of football at the highest levels in the Pacific,” Ah Yuk said.
“Our overall mandate of a professional football confederation remains the same and to achieve this, three areas have been prioritised: the digitalisation of OFC and its MAs, mobile journalism and MA capacity building.
“Delivery of the new equipment to the MAs and this week’s workshop is a key part of supporting that vision.
“We are extremely grateful to UEFA Assist for their ongoing support and funding which has made this possible.”
The equipment funded by UEFA Assist includes:
- 1 Photography kit
- 1 Laptop and accessories kit
- 1 Smartphone and accessories kit
- 1 Software package
- 1 Broadcast and TV Production kit
- 1 Video Camera kit
Eva Pasquier, UEFA Head of International Relations and UEFA Assist, is excited about the possibilities this new initiative will bring.
“This confederation-wide project is an excellent example of how UEFA Assist combines capacity building and infrastructure projects to great effect,” Pasquier said.
“Participants will obtain the key knowledge and practical skills required to fully utilise the broadcast and media equipment we donated to their Member Associations.
“We look forward to watching the high-quality streamed matches that are produced as a result.”
OFC wishes to thank UEFA Assist for this generous contribution to the football community in Oceania.
The overall project fits in with the vision of growing the game of football, promoting it at the highest levels and ensuring football becomes a day-to-day reality in every Oceania country, and will focus on creating and showcasing the ‘local football experience’ through TV and digital livestreaming platforms while providing MAs with the right equipment and skills to project that same level at local tournaments.
