The Show must go on- how content providers are dealing with the Covid shut-in

The Federal Reserve announced on Monday that it would purchase an unlimited amount of Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities to support the financial market. In the real economy, we see similar bold moves from businesses offering unlimited service packages or trials to gain market share during the transition to a different kind of remote economy.

The NFL is offering free access to NFL Game Pass. Fans have unlimited access to archives. Without new content and games halted, keeping fans engaged and competing with other entertainments can be challenging. Many other sports leagues followed suits with the NBA rolling out League Pass and the NHL offering free access to NHL.tv.

This is a smart move in a vacuum, perhaps made even more strategic by the sudden onset of the virus outbreak. The sports leagues make more than 50% of their money through TV deals and only a small portion from direct streaming. While ESPN is showing ultimate frisbees, the sports leagues are quietly taking over controls of fans’ eyeballs.

Meanwhile, many businesses are trying also to help content creators to ease the transition by offering discounts to them. SoundCloud led the way by slashing the price for Unlimited for professional DJs to onboard more creators onto the platform.

Creativity is borne out of limitations. And now, Unlimited is the creative answer to the physically distant world.

Speak soon,

Whitney