diff --git a/youtube_dl/extractor/brightcove.py b/youtube_dl/extractor/brightcove.py
index 5258b907c..9760e606f 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/extractor/brightcove.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/extractor/brightcove.py
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ class BrightcoveLegacyIE(InfoExtractor):
 
 class BrightcoveNewIE(InfoExtractor):
     IE_NAME = 'brightcove:new'
-    _VALID_URL = r'https?://players\.brightcove\.net/(?P<account_id>\d+)/(?P<player_id>[^/]+)_(?P<embed>[^/]+)/index\.html\?.*videoId=(?P<video_id>(?:ref:)?\d+)'
+    _VALID_URL = r'https?://players\.brightcove\.net/(?P<account_id>\d+)/(?P<player_id>[^/]+)_(?P<embed>[^/]+)/index\.html\?.*videoId=(?P<video_id>\d+|ref:[^&]+)'
     _TESTS = [{
         'url': 'http://players.brightcove.net/929656772001/e41d32dc-ec74-459e-a845-6c69f7b724ea_default/index.html?videoId=4463358922001',
         'md5': 'c8100925723840d4b0d243f7025703be',
@@ -392,6 +392,10 @@ class BrightcoveNewIE(InfoExtractor):
         # ref: prefixed video id
         'url': 'http://players.brightcove.net/3910869709001/21519b5c-4b3b-4363-accb-bdc8f358f823_default/index.html?videoId=ref:7069442',
         'only_matching': True,
+    }, {
+        # non numeric ref: prefixed video id
+        'url': 'http://players.brightcove.net/710858724001/default_default/index.html?videoId=ref:event-stream-356',
+        'only_matching': True,
     }]
 
     @staticmethod