Updated October 2026 | By Sampath Mallidi, CEO of Revidd

To add a live event to a FAST channel, you schedule the live feed as a block on the channel's 24/7 timeline, the same way you schedule a movie or an episode. Library content plays before the event, the channel switches to your live input when the block starts, and it returns to scheduled content when the block ends. Most of the work is in the edges: what fills the screen if the event starts late, runs long or ends early, where the ad breaks go, and what the program guide says.

TL;DR: A FAST channel can carry live events. Treat each event as a scheduled live block on the channel timeline, pad it with fill content on both sides, keep a backup playlist ready for gaps, mark ad breaks with SCTE-35 for your ad partners, and update the EPG so viewers see the event in the guide. Your own apps are the simplest place to start. Getting a live event onto Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV or The Roku Channel depends on your distribution agreement with each service.

This guide is for broadcasters, sports rights holders, local stations and faith networks that already run a FAST channel, or plan one, and want live games, newscasts, services or events inside it.

Can a FAST channel carry live events?

Yes. A FAST channel is a scheduled linear stream, and a live feed can be one of the things on that schedule. The industry calls this live-to-linear: a live feed blended into a structured 24/7 schedule, with library programming before and after it.

Live works on FAST because the viewer experience is already linear. The viewer tunes in to a channel, not a title. If a match, a newscast or a Sunday service is on the schedule, they see it the same way they see anything else on that channel. Nobody has to find a separate event page.

The trade-off is control. A file has a known length. A live event does not. Everything in this guide is about absorbing that uncertainty without the channel going dark or the guide going wrong.

What are the ways to put live content on a streaming service?

There are three common setups. Many broadcasters run more than one.

This guide covers the middle row: a FAST channel that is mostly scheduled programming with live windows inside it.

How do you schedule a live event on a FAST channel?

Build the event into the timeline like any other block, then plan the edges. A working sequence:

1. Confirm the rights for this channel. Check that your deal covers linear streaming on this channel, in the countries the channel plays in, on the services where it is distributed. Live sports and licensed events often have different terms for linear, on-demand and replay.

2. Set up the live input. Connect the produced feed from your production team or vendor to your playout platform and test it before event day. The production itself (cameras, switching, graphics) stays with your production setup.

3. Place the live block on the timeline. Add the live input as a block at the scheduled start time, in the channel's time zone. Give it the scheduled length plus a realistic cushion for overruns.

4. Add a pre-show and a post-show. Put a short preview, countdown or related library segment before the block, and a recap, highlights or a flexible-length program after it. These absorb late starts and early finishes.

5. Set the backup content. Make sure a backup playlist is assigned to the channel, so a gap or a lost feed plays something on-brand instead of black.

6. Plan the ad breaks. Decide where breaks fall during the event and make sure your feed carries SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners at those points.

7. Publish the EPG entry. Give the live block a clear title and description in the guide, with the right start time for each time zone you serve.

8. Run a rehearsal. Switch to the live input in a test window, check the handover in and out, and confirm the guide shows the event.

If you are still building the channel, start with how to program a FAST channel, then come back here for the live windows.

What happens if a live event runs long or ends early?

Decide this before the event, not during it. There are two approaches.

• Hard out. The live block ends at its scheduled time no matter what, and the channel returns to its schedule. This keeps the guide accurate but can cut off the end of a game.

• Soft out. The live block can run over, and the program after it starts late or is shortened. This protects the event but pushes the rest of the schedule and the guide.

Most sports and event channels choose a soft out with a flexible program after the event, such as highlights or a recap that can be cut short. That way a long game uses up the recap time, not the next fixed program.

For early finishes, rain delays or a dropped feed, you need backup content that starts on its own. On Revidd, a Rescue Playlist fills gaps when scheduled content fails or ends early, so the channel keeps playing while the team sorts out the feed.

How do ad breaks work during a live event on FAST?

Ad breaks on a live FAST block are marked in the stream with SCTE-35, the signaling standard the cable and streaming industry uses for ad and program cues. SCTE describes it as "the core signaling standard for advertising, Program and distribution control (e.g., blackouts) of content" (SCTE 35-1).

In practice:

• Your production team or playout platform places a marker where each break starts, with its duration.

• Your ad partner reads those markers and fills the break with ads.

• If the partner cannot fill all of a break, filler content plays instead of a blank screen.

Live breaks are harder than scheduled ones because they follow the game, not the clock. Agree with your production team on who triggers breaks (the director, an operator or a fixed plan) and how long each break runs. For a deeper look at markers, read what SCTE-35 is and how it works.

Revidd's role here is the playout side: SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners, plus an Ad Filler Playlist for unfilled time. The ad demand comes from the ad partners you choose.

How does the EPG show a live event?

The electronic program guide (EPG) should show the live block like any other program: a title, a short description, a start time and an end time. Viewers browse the guide to decide what to watch, so a block labeled "Live: Riverside vs Lakeview, Week 6" works much better than "Live event."

Three things matter most:

• Time zones. If your channel plays in more than one region, each guide needs the right local start time.

• Late changes. If the event moves, update the schedule and the guide together. On Revidd, the EPG is generated from your schedule, so a schedule change updates the guide.

• Overruns. If you use a soft out, the guide can be wrong for a while after a long event. A flexible program after the event keeps that window short.

Running live events, on-demand video and FAST channels in separate systems? See how Revidd schedules live blocks inside FAST channels in one CMS.

How do you deliver a live event to Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV or The Roku Channel?

There are two very different destinations for a FAST channel, and live works differently in each.

Your own apps. If the channel runs inside your own branded apps on Roku, Samsung, LG, Vizio, Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV, you control the schedule, the guide and the live windows. This is the simplest place to add live events, because no third party has to approve the change.

Third-party FAST services. Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Tubi carry channels under distribution agreements with each service. Whether you can run live blocks, how much notice the service needs, and how ad breaks are handled all depend on that agreement and the service's technical requirements. Ask your distribution partner before you plan a live season around a third-party channel.

Revidd runs branded FAST channels inside your own apps and can output the channel as HLS with SCTE-35 markers for partners you choose. Revidd does not place channels on Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel or Tubi. Getting onto those services is the job of FAST distribution specialists. For how that side works, see FAST channel distribution on Samsung, Pluto and Roku.

What rights questions come up with live on FAST?

This is not legal advice, but these are the questions broadcasters most often have to answer before a live season:

• Linear rights. Does the deal allow the event on a free, ad-supported linear channel, or only in a subscription app or on-demand?

• Territory. Which countries can see the event? The channel may play in more places than the live rights cover. On Revidd, geo controls let you set the countries where viewers can watch your channels and titles.

• Replay and catch-up. Can you replay the event later on the channel, or offer it on demand after it ends? Many live deals limit this.

• Ads. Are there sponsor or ad category rules tied to the event?

Sports rights holders should also read how to launch a 24/7 sports FAST channel, which covers what fills the schedule between live windows.

How does Revidd handle live events inside FAST channels?

Revidd runs on-demand video, live events and 24/7 FAST channels from one CMS, and delivers them in your own branded apps on iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Roku, Samsung, LG, Vizio and the web. For live on FAST specifically:

• One timeline. Schedule media, playlists and live streams on the same hourly timeline in the FAST Program Manager.

• One calendar. The Live Calendar shows live events and 24/7 blocks on one calendar, so the team sees the whole week.

• Backup content. A Rescue Playlist and an Ad Filler Playlist keep each channel playing when content fails, ends early or a break goes unfilled.

• Ad markers. SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners, on FAST and ad-supported channels.

• Guide. An EPG generated from your schedule, in your apps, across time zones.

• After the event. DVR and catch-up for live content, and geo controls by country.

Revidd powers streaming that reaches more than 38 million viewers and 5.2 million monthly active viewers across 15 countries. Branded apps can be ready in as little as 1 to 2 weeks, plus app store review that Revidd doesn't control, and you don't need an in-house engineering team. See the full scheduling toolset on the playout and EPG page and the FAST channel platform page.

When is Revidd not the right fit?

• Your only goal is placement on third-party FAST services. If you want your channel on Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel or Tubi and do not need your own apps, FAST distribution specialists such as Amagi or Wurl are built for that job.

• You need live production tools. Revidd plays out and delivers your feed. Cameras, switching, replays and on-screen graphics come from your production team or a production vendor.

• You run a single one-off event with no channel. A standalone live event page or a live streaming tool may be simpler than building a FAST channel around one event.

Frequently asked questions

Can you put live events on a FAST channel?

Yes. A FAST channel is a scheduled linear stream, and a live feed can be scheduled as a block on its timeline, between library programs. This is often called live-to-linear. Plan fill content before and after the event, a backup playlist for gaps, SCTE-35 markers for ad breaks, and a clear EPG entry.

How do you schedule a live event on a FAST channel?

Add the live input as a block on the channel timeline at the start time, in the channel's time zone. Put a pre-show before it and a flexible recap after it, assign a backup playlist, plan ad breaks with SCTE-35 markers, publish the event in the EPG, and rehearse the switch in and out before event day.

What happens when a live game runs over on a FAST channel?

That depends on whether you use a hard out or a soft out. A hard out returns to the schedule on time and can cut off the ending. A soft out lets the game finish and pushes the next program. Most sports channels use a soft out with a flexible recap after the game to absorb overruns.

Do you need SCTE-35 for ads during live events on FAST?

For most ad partners, yes. SCTE-35 is the standard way to mark where an ad break starts and how long it runs in a live or linear stream. Your ad partner reads the markers and fills the break. Filler content covers any break time the partner does not fill.

Can I run a live event on my FAST channel on Pluto TV or Samsung TV Plus?

It depends on your distribution agreement with each service and its technical requirements, so ask your distribution partner first. Live events are simplest on a FAST channel inside your own branded apps, where you control the schedule and guide. Revidd runs FAST channels in your own apps and does not place channels on third-party FAST services.

Does Revidd support live events inside FAST channels?

Yes. Revidd schedules media, playlists and live streams on one timeline in its FAST Program Manager, shows live events and 24/7 blocks on one Live Calendar, and keeps channels playing with a Rescue Playlist and Ad Filler Playlist. Breaks carry SCTE-35 markers for your ad partners, and the EPG is generated from your schedule.

Plan your first live season on FAST

Live events give a FAST channel its biggest moments, but the schedule around them does most of the work. Get the rights, the fill content, the backup playlist, the ad markers and the guide right, and adding live events to a FAST channel becomes a weekly routine instead of a risk.

Want to see live blocks, FAST scheduling and your branded apps in one CMS? Book a Revidd demo.