Grabyo launches social video service for sports stars

Social video platform Grabyo has launched a new service which aims to encourage greater sharing of video content by star athletes on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

Grabyo VIP is a video sharing app that allows verified users to publish native video on Facebook and Twitter in a single click, complete with integrated sponsorship and advertising assets.

Grabyo said the app enables rapid discovery and sharing of premium video content that has previously been distributed across the Grabyo platform by broadcaster and rights holder partners.

Customers will be able to use the growing Grabyo VIP network to accelerate organic discovery, engagement and monetisation of real-time video clips – all of which is tracked by Grabyo’s platform and analytics.

Grabyo said: “With Grabyo VIP, we are combining the simplicity of mobile video creation, sharing and discovery with the social reach of global stars – creating a new distribution model for rights holders and a new revenue opportunity for the individuals that can accelerate engagement and monetisation. It’s a new commercial ecosystem for social video.”

In November, Grabyo secured fresh funding of $2m (€1.8m) to aid its future growth, with a “significant majority” of this investment coming from top athletes.

London-based Grabyo said English Premier League football stars Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie, along with retired French national team legend Thierry Henry and Tony Parker (right of picture) – a point guard for NBA basketball franchise San Antonio Spurs – signed as investors and global ambassadors for the firm.