The organization overseeing modern pentathlon has drastically reduced its media asset discovery, sharing and repurposing time, and set itself in good stead for the LA28 Games with Moments Lab.

Modern Pentathlon, introduced in 1912, is an Olympic multi-sport where women and men compete in fencing, obstacle racing and swimming before the Laser Run, a combined running and laser shooting race to the finish line. Today, the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) oversees not only the pentathlon, but derivative multi-sports such as laser run, obstacle laser run, triathle and biathle. UIPM organizes annual events worldwide, with continental and national bodies running regional and local competitions. 

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Simplifying a Complex Workflow

UIPM was finding it increasingly difficult to manage its ever-growing volume of photos and videos from its various events and was looking for a new way to meet its communication needs.

The organization’s existing setup consisted of a myriad of manual processes and unsuitable digital tools. “We relied on a document-sharing system between our photographers, video teams and communication department, and often needed VPN access to get to our media asset storage software” explained Florent Boas, TV & Media Operations Manager at UIPM. This pieced-together workflow made the process of finding, using and sharing high-resolution video and image files from global pentathlon events unnecessarily strenuous and time-consuming.

Increasingly conscious of the need to satisfy media partners, sponsors and fans seeking a more immersive experience from its events, UIPM began to search for a new media asset management solution. The organization’s main goal was to be able to find content, such as a clip of an athlete in a specific discipline with a sponsor’s logo displayed, quickly and easily.

Based on UIPM’s objectives to be able to ingest live event recordings and easily search their media library, the Moments Lab team proposed a combination of Media Hub and Live Asset Manager. Powered by MXT multimodal AI, these products include features such as facial recognition, object and logo detection – including those of sponsors — and near-live clipping tools, which fit perfectly with UIPM’s needs.

Transitioning to AI-Powered Media Asset Management

UIPM started using Moments Lab in 2023 at the Pentathlon World Championship in Bath. More than a year later, it has completely transformed the way its teams manage their media assets. 

With Live Asset Manager, the UIPM team can schedule, capture and record live event footage into the Cloud Media Hub and clip all the best action right away.

MXT multimodal AI-powered indexing with automatic facial recognition technology plays a crucial role, making it possible to identify specific athletes in its many competitions. Logo detection ensures UIPM can quickly search for and retrieve relevant moments that feature sponsors, such as New Balance, and store these photos and videos in a dedicated smart collection, enabling fast access for its partnership manager. 

UIPM takes advantage of the option to transcode its media into a smaller, mezzanine format, which allows for faster and easier downloading and sharing of content. Boas explained: “Certain pentathlon events are held in locations where we face infrastructure challenges, such as unstable internet connections. The mezzanine format within Moments Lab, combined with its upload tool, has proved to be very stable–it simply pauses if there is a drop in internet connection, instead of canceling the upload completely.” 

‍Florent Boas, TV & Media Operations Manager at UIPM:

"Finding moments, especially in video files, used to take us days. Now, we can find relevant material in a matter of minutes."

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Unlocking a New Way of Engaging With Fans

UIPM’s Moments Lab workflow has enabled the organization to implement a new communication strategy. Near-live clips, which were previously difficult to produce, are now their highest-performing content on social media. The Cloud Media Hub ensures that winning footage of an athlete at the finish line is immediately accessible and ready for sharing. Thanks to Live Asset Manager, the communications team can even clip and share videos while an event is still happening. This ability has enabled the team to double the number of reels they post to UIPM's social media platforms, significantly enhancing their digital presence and engagement rates. 

30% of reels surpass 30,000 plays and 8% exceed 50,000 plays on Instagram. Notably, 3% of UIPM’s reels achieve over 100,000 plays, showcasing the viral potential of their content.

The impact extended beyond engagement, as UIPM's social media reach grew significantly, connecting with 5 million individuals in 2024. Instagram alone saw an 18% growth in audience reach, a testament to the effectiveness of the new workflow. 

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Preparing For Los Angeles 2028

As modern pentathlon looks towards the 2028 LA Olympics, UIPM anticipates an increase in requests from press partners. The Cloud Media Hub’s guest access option makes it possible to give media partners access to the platform so they can directly browse and clip the content they need. This customizable workflow paves the way for a future Media Marketplace—a vision that aligns with UIPM’s Olympic goals.

For UIPM, partnering with Moments Lab has been a true game-changer. Boas concludes: “The efficiencies gained through the Media Hub enable us to explore new communication possibilities, cut down production time and focus on sharing the pentathlon experience with our fans and partners.”

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