When it comes to sports technology, Hudl has long been a trailblazer. From empowering athletes and coaches with cutting-edge performance analysis tools to building a vibrant social community, Hudl has transformed how sports teams prepare, perform, and connect. Recently, Hudl took a major leap forward by integrating Stream's Chat API to enhance its platform's social and communication features. Billy Janssen, Senior Engineering Manager at Hudl, shared insights into this transformative journey.
Scaling for Peak Seasons and Diverse Personas
"When you're talking about sports, you have peak seasons," Janssen explained. "We've just come out of our peak season with American football in the fall. We spend all year preparing for that boomerang curve of user engagement." Hudl's seasonal spikes demand a platform that can scale seamlessly to handle increased traffic, video uploads, and live streams.
The challenge doesn't end with scalability. Hudl caters to a diverse user base, from athletes and coaches to parents and fans. Each group interacts with the platform differently. "You might have a parent watching their high school athlete while also coaching another team," Janssen noted. "We need to manage all these personas while ensuring strict permissions and safety, especially for minors."
Why Stream's Chat API?
Previously, Hudl relied on an in-house messaging solution that had reached its limits. "It worked great for a while, but as we scaled, it became a burden," Janssen explained. "With Stream, we have a platform that grows with us."
The decision to integrate Stream's Chat API was driven by several key factors:
- Scalability: Stream's platform could handle Hudl's peak-season traffic and throughput requirements.
- Developer experience: Stream's robust chat SDKs and APIs allowed Hudl's team to build quickly and efficiently.
- Customization: Hudl wanted the chat features to feel like a seamless part of their platform rather than an external add-on.
- Moderation tools: Ensuring user safety was paramount, particularly given the platform's younger audience.
Stream also offered financial advantages. "People think building in-house controls costs, but you also have to consider internal dev time, maintenance, and upgrades. Long-term, partnering with Stream made more financial sense," Janssen noted.
Streamlining Integration
Janssen's team had an ambitious goal: integrate Stream Chat in time for Hudl's fiscal year, just months before their busiest season. "We had a new team, and most hadn't worked with React Native before," he recalled. "Despite that, we hit our target, which speaks to how frictionless the process can be."
Hudl worked closely with Stream's support engineers throughout the integration. "We had weekly office hours, dedicated Slack channels, and code reviews," Janssen said. "Stream even added a feature to their .NET SDK within a week after we requested it. That's the kind of partnership you want."
Stream's documentation and example applications also played a key role. "The docs are really well put together," Janssen praised. "And the example apps helped us build a proof of concept quickly and troubleshoot edge cases."
Focusing on User-Centric Outcomes
Initial metrics confirmed the integration's success. "Our main goal was not to lose users during the cutover," Janssen explained. "We didn't see a dip in monthly active users or messages sent. In fact, usage slightly increased initially."
New features like message reactions and Giphy integration added a modern touch. "Our users especially appreciate these features," Janssen noted. "A thumbs-up reaction keeps things less cluttered than typing out a response."
The new chat system also provides Hudl with better insights into user behavior. "We're mapping out metrics to understand how teams and clubs use messaging alongside other Hudl tools like video analysis," Janssen noted. "This helps us tailor the platform to better meet our users' needs."
Looking Ahead
Hudl is already exploring ways to expand its use of Stream's capabilities. Moderation remains a top priority, particularly for ensuring compliance with regulations like SafeSport and COPPA. "We've received great feedback on our safety features from schools and organizations," Janssen shared.
The team is also experimenting with generative AI and large language models (LLMs) to enhance the platform's functionality. "We want to make sure any AI features we introduce are genuinely useful for our users," Janssen said.
Additionally, Hudl is considering ways to integrate its proprietary video content more deeply into the chat experience, such as allowing coaches to share and view clips directly within messages. "We're evaluating how to best leverage Gen.AI and LLMs," Janssen said. "We're also looking into embedding video clips directly into chat and activity feeds."
Advice for Other Apps Seeking an Integration Partner
For organizations considering whether to build or buy a chat solution, Janssen's advice is clear: "If in-app messaging is a core tenet, but not your expertise, partner with someone like Stream. Focus on what you're great at and let a partner handle the rest."
Hudl's partnership with Stream exemplifies the benefits of collaboration. By leveraging Stream's Chat API, Hudl has enhanced its platform's communication features, improved user engagement, and positioned itself for future growth. As Janssen put it, "Stream grows with us, enabling us to deliver the best experience for our users."