As rights fees continue to increase, could the traditional television broadcasters team up with social media platforms to bid for sports properties? It’s an interesting thought as Facebook and Twitter are looking for live sports. And if they can partner with the networks, it would help them combat Amazon which will stream Thursday Night Football this season.
At the National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas, executives from Turner Sports, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League all envisioned the possibility of seeing Facebook and Twitter bidding for sports rights, but doing it with networks like CBS and Turner.
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CBS and Turner are already partners on the NCAA Tournament and Craig Barry, the chief content officer for Turner noted that they used Twitter for a live online pregame show that was streamed throughout the tournament.
When asked if Amazon is a rival for sports rights, Barry deflected:
“We’re inclusive of all screens when we do our long-term sports rights deals. The people that are cutting cords are going to other destinations to consume sports. The platforms and the audiences for sports are fragmented and that translates to fatigue. So it’s important to create good user experiences on all platforms,” Barry said.
Facebook and Twitter could enhance the viewing experience by not only live streaming the broadcasts, but also surround the games with live responses and marketing them towards their audiences. Even though Twitter won’t have the NFL this season, it has already deemed the 2016 partnership a success and perhaps that will attract the networks to bring them on board in the future.
About Ken Fang
Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.
He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.
Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.