📺 How We Brought Live Streaming to CREX (With FanCode)
📺 How We Brought Live Streaming to CREX (With FanCode)
In October 2024, CREX integrated live streaming for the first time, in partnership with FanCode. As part of a team project, we built a contextual, non-intrusive experience that preserved CREX’s fast score advantage while enabling users to watch live matches directly inside the app.
Smart in-match triggers, a 5-minute free preview, and sachet pricing drove engagement — resulting in a 10% purchase conversion rate and 60% monthly repeat transactors. This feature also opened new revenue stream & business partnerships , including a deal with Starzplay in MENA.
In October 2024, CREX integrated live streaming for the first time, in partnership with FanCode. As part of a team project, we built a contextual, non-intrusive experience that preserved CREX’s fast score advantage while enabling users to watch live matches directly inside the app.
Smart in-match triggers, a 5-minute free preview, and sachet pricing drove engagement — resulting in a 10% purchase conversion rate and 60% monthly repeat transactors. This feature also opened new revenue stream & business partnerships , including a deal with Starzplay in MENA.
🏏 The Context
🏏 The Context
CREX was always about live scores, commentary, stats & analysis. But watching the match? That still happened somewhere else.
CREX was always about live scores, commentary, stats & analysis. But watching the match? That still happened somewhere else.
So when FanCode approached us for a partnership, we knew it was time to bring live streaming right inside CREX.
So when FanCode approached us for a partnership, we knew it was time to bring live streaming right inside CREX.
Why Streaming? Internally, we were aligned:
Why Streaming? Internally, we were aligned:
Business: Streaming creates a new revenue channel
Business: Streaming creates a new revenue channel
User Experience: Fans wanted more than just live scores, Now they can enjoy the Live experience without switching platforms
User Experience: Fans wanted more than just live scores, Now they can enjoy the Live experience without switching platforms
Strategic: Strengthen CREX’s position as an all-in-one cricket app
Strategic: Strengthen CREX’s position as an all-in-one cricket app
🎯 The Challenge
🎯 The Challenge
Streaming is a big deal — but we had to do it without breaking the experience that made CREX special. It had to feel native.
Streaming is a big deal — but we had to do it without breaking the experience that made CREX special. It had to feel native.
The design problem:
The design problem:
How do we integrate live streaming into CREX’s match experience without making it feel forced, heavy, or unfamiliar?
How do we integrate live streaming into CREX’s match experience without making it feel forced, heavy, or unfamiliar?
We had to:
We had to:
Keep the experience intuitive and contextual
Keep the experience intuitive and contextual
Ensure users didn’t feel spammed
Ensure users didn’t feel spammed
Preserve CREX’s core offerings, fast live score
Preserve CREX’s core offerings, fast live score
🔬 Research & Insights
🔬 Research & Insights
Though we skipped formal user research, we had four years of internal insights from working in cricket tech. We did:
Though we skipped formal user research, we had four years of internal insights from working in cricket tech. We did:
Analyse top cricket streaming apps (SonyLIV, JioCinema, Prime Video)
Analyse top cricket streaming apps (SonyLIV, JioCinema, Prime Video)
Review FanCode’s content library and SDK behavior
Review FanCode’s content library and SDK behavior
Evaluate what kinds of matches were available (mostly domestic leagues, no ICC or India tournament)
Evaluate what kinds of matches were available (mostly domestic leagues, no ICC or India tournament)
Key learning
Key learning
As FanCode’s library is mostly domestic leagues & some international tours, Streaming needed to be optional and contextual, not core. So we treated it as a value-added feature, not a primary one.
As FanCode’s library is mostly domestic leagues & some international tours, Streaming needed to be optional and contextual, not core. So we treated it as a value-added feature, not a primary one.
Match Highlights are as important as live streaming
Match Highlights are as important as live streaming
✍️ Designing the Experience
✍️ Designing the Experience
We (a 3-designer team: Nihal, Hari, and I) started with complete walkthroughs of the FanCode SDK to understand limitations and opportunities.
We (a 3-designer team: Nihal, Hari, and I) started with complete walkthroughs of the FanCode SDK to understand limitations and opportunities.
Then came brainstorming. We explored a bunch of crazy ideas — from floating video layers to always-on match banners — and prioritized the ones that Fit CREX’s design philosophy without hampering core experience
Then came brainstorming. We explored a bunch of crazy ideas — from floating video layers to always-on match banners — and prioritized the ones that Fit CREX’s design philosophy without hampering core experience
🧠 Strategy: Add-On, Not Core
🧠 Strategy: Add-On, Not Core
We intentionally kept streaming as a supplementary experience:
We intentionally kept streaming as a supplementary experience:
Most big tournaments (India, ICC) weren’t available on FanCode
Most big tournaments (India, ICC) weren’t available on FanCode
Our core users come during big matches — we didn’t want to degrade their score-first experience
Our core users come during big matches — we didn’t want to degrade their score-first experience
⚡ Smart Triggers > Forced Exposure
⚡ Smart Triggers > Forced Exposure
We designed contextual triggers that surface only when they make sense:
We designed contextual triggers that surface only when they make sense:
Live Match: Dynamic prompts after a wicket or at over breaks, Also a static banner
Live Match: Dynamic prompts after a wicket or at over breaks, Also a static banner
Over End Prompt
Wicket Prompt
Static Banner
Upcoming Match: Trigger Inside Match info
Upcoming Match: Trigger Inside Match info
Finished Match: Free match highlights in match summary for everyone
Finished Match: Free match highlights in match summary for everyone
Series Profile: Series promos on the home and series pages to create a hype
Series Profile: Series promos on the home and series pages to create a hype
Match Info: Static Banner
Post Match Highlights
Series Promo Video
🔓 5-Minute Free Trial: The Gamechanger
🔓 5-Minute Free Trial: The Gamechanger
Initially, users could only buy match passes. There was no preview. But after 2–3 weeks, we noticed users were dropping off after clicking the banner. So we introduced a 5-minute free trial.
Initially, users could only buy match passes. There was no preview. But after 2–3 weeks, we noticed users were dropping off after clicking the banner. So we introduced a 5-minute free trial.
✅ Result: 45% increase in conversion, Trust wins.
✅ Result: 45% increase in conversion, Trust wins.
⚔️ The Score vs. Stream Problem
⚔️ The Score vs. Stream Problem
CREX is known for fastest live scores, often ahead of the video stream. So what should we do? Slow down the score to sync with stream?
CREX is known for fastest live scores, often ahead of the video stream. So what should we do? Slow down the score to sync with stream?
No. We kept our scores real-time, even on the streaming screen. And we also added real time win probability view at the stream page, reinforcing our brand value. Users loved it. It felt like a blend of TV + data.
No. We kept our scores real-time, even on the streaming screen. And we also added real time win probability view at the stream page, reinforcing our brand value. Users loved it. It felt like a blend of TV + data.
🧪 UX Decisions That Shaped It
🧪 UX Decisions That Shaped It
Keep streaming inside match context only
Keep streaming inside match context only
Free match highlights for all users
Free match highlights for all users
5-minute free trial to boost trust & conversion
5-minute free trial to boost trust & conversion
Preserve CREX’s fast score + win probability overlay
Preserve CREX’s fast score + win probability overlay
📈 The Results
📈 The Results
We launched Streaming in October 2024, Here's what we saw:
We launched Streaming in October 2024, Here's what we saw:
10% purchase funnel conversion
10% purchase funnel conversion
60% monthly repeat transactors
60% monthly repeat transactors
Highest video engagement on free match highlights
Highest video engagement on free match highlights
Increased session duration on live match screens
Increased session duration on live match screens