Delta Protocol
DAZN's AI video transmission protocol; sends pixel-level changes only; reduces CDN bandwidth for live sport.
Last refreshed: 10 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Could DAZN's Delta Protocol become an industry transmission standard and give it a permanent cost advantage?
Timeline for Delta Protocol
DAZN livestreams Serie A free on TikTok
Media's AI Pivot- What is DAZN's Delta Protocol and how does it work?
- Delta Protocol is a DAZN-developed live video transmission technology that sends only pixel-level frame differences to viewers, with client-side software reconstructing the full video. This reduces the volume of data transmitted compared to traditional video streaming, lowering CDN costs. DAZN submitted it to the IBC Accelerator programme in 2026.Source: event
- Could Delta Protocol replace standard video codecs?
- Delta Protocol operates at the transmission layer, not the codec layer, so it complements rather than replaces codecs like HEVC or AV1. If adopted as a standard through bodies like DVB or SMPTE, it would change how live streams are distributed rather than how video is encoded.Source: event
Background
Delta Protocol is a DAZN-developed live video transmission technology that sends only the pixel-level differences between frames rather than complete compressed video streams, with client-side reconstruction assembling the full picture. DAZN submitted Delta Protocol to the IBC Accelerator programme in 2026 for industry evaluation, positioning it as a potential broadcast-standard alternative to HEVC and AV1 for live sports streaming that could substantially reduce CDN egress costs for rights holders and OTT platforms.
The protocol emerged from DAZN's commercial pressure: as the platform expanded live sports rights in Europe and Asia, CDN bandwidth costs became a primary constraint on free-tier and global distribution economics. Delta Protocol's approach is conceptually related to video codec innovation but operates at the transmission layer rather than requiring a new codec standard, potentially enabling deployment without hardware support in end-user devices.
If Delta Protocol achieves broadcast-standard adoption through bodies such as DVB or SMPTE, it would represent a rare case of an OTT sports platform originating an industry-wide technical standard. The competitive implications are significant: platforms that adopted Delta Protocol early could gain permanent structural cost advantages over traditional broadcasters using legacy transmission infrastructure.