Live Streaming Sports Go Social

Jonathan Raber
Jul 28, 2017 · 3 min read

I, like a growing contingent of Americans, am a cord cutter. When I tell people this fact, the first question I undoubtedly receive is, “But how do you watch sports?!” Which is a very reasonable concern for someone like myself, who grew up glued to ESPN and regularly scheduled my social calendar around watching sporting events on television.

Watching sports on social media is becoming the norm (Image via Slingbox)

Yet, as someone who now takes advantage of streaming platforms for my TV viewing, I have the ability to watch nearly the same amount of sports as I did when I paid for overpriced cable. From the WatchESPN app, to the NFL RedZone channel on Sling TV, to even simply using a digital HD antenna for local sports action, I am able to watch all the NFL, NBA, MLB and college sports I desire.

And it’s only getting easier for cord-cutting sports fans. Why? Because the future of live sports lies in social media.

Sports leagues are increasingly turning their attention to striking deals with social media platforms to stream live events, according to a recent article on DMNews. Just this year, there has been a slew of partnerships: Facebook agreeing to a deal to broadcast over a dozen Champions league soccer matches; Twitter partnering with the WNBA to livestream 20 games per season through 2020; and Twitter inking a deal for an exclusive, new NFL Live show hosted by NFL Network talent.

This all comes on the heels of last year’s groundbreaking NFL deal in which Twitter secured the rights to broadcast “Thursday Night Football.” Amazon won the rights for this upcoming season’s slate of 10 games, paying a reported $50 million in the process (compared to the $10 million Twitter paid last year).

Via Fortune Magazine

The reason for the sudden surge in partnerships between professional sports leagues and social media is simple, according to Darryl Villacorta, social media manager at Sprout Social.

“Many of the major sports leagues are encouraging users to download their apps for exclusive owned content, but often users hesitate to add yet another app to their device,” Villacorta says. “Partnering with social platforms that are already known and beloved by fans gives brands the opportunity to reach a wider audience while demonstrating the value of their content.”

The most glaring takeaway from that quote is “to reach a wider audience.” At the end of the day, social platforms are in the business of growing the number of users. So any way that can be achieved is a no-brainer. Enter sports, which are not only ingrained in the fabric of America and draw a wide-ranging audience, but are increasingly becoming more enjoyable to watch while using a second-screen experience, evident by #NBATwitter, which has evolved into one of the most engaging and entertaining communities on Twitter.

Image via Morning Consult

Sports audiences are already built-in on Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, leaving social media platforms to capitalize for live broadcasts.

“Sports brands can expand the reach and viewership of their broadcasts; platforms could potentially see an uptick on time on site,” Villacorta says. “Ultimately these types of partnerships can help sports entities and franchises drive brand loyalty and create deeper fan experiences.”

Sports and social media is a perfect marriage. One that is just in its infancy of endless possibilities.

Jonathan Raber

Written by

Got mad hits like I was Rod Carew.

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