What Happened
Reports surfaced at the beginning of the month that Twitter was in talks with the MLB and the NHL in its quest for more live sports content. Today, Twitter announced that it has reached a deal with MLB Advanced Media to stream live weekly games from the two aforementioned sports leagues. Viewers will be able to stream games for free, no login required. Twitter will pay the leagues a set amount of ad sales it generates, and the companies will split the additional ad revenue.
What Brands Need To Do
With this pact, Twitter has now established relationships with the four big pro-sports leagues in the U.S. to broadcast their content. Previously, Twitter won the simulcast rights for NFL Thursday Night Football games in April and announced a deal with the NBA for original live shows during games last week. As Twitter builds out its live sports content, it emerges as a burgeoning media channel for brands to reach sports fans online. Agreeing to split ad revenue with content providers, Twitter demonstrates an ad-friendly approach toward live streaming that brands, especially those targeting sports fans, should take into consideration while seeking to reach an online audience.
Source: Variety