Twitter snags NFL Thursday Night Football OTT streaming rights

[mvcg66b3r 97]

The National Football League (NFL) announced today that it has selected Twitter as its exclusive partner to deliver a live OTT digital stream of Thursday Night Football to a global audience across devices and for free during the course of the 2016 NFL Regular Season. Twitter will stream the 10 Thursday Night Football games broadcast by NBC and CBS, which will also be simulcast on NFL Network, securing the league’s “Tri-Cast” distribution model of broadcast (NBC/CBS), cable (NFL Network), and digital (Twitter).

 

Partners since 2013 through the Twitter Amplify program, the NFL and Twitter will provide free, live streaming video of Thursday Night Football without authentication to the over 800 Million registered and non-registered users worldwide on the Twitter platform on mobile phones, tablets, PCs and connected TVs.

 

In addition to live streaming video of NFL action, the partnership includes in-game highlights from TNF as well as pre-game Periscope broadcasts from players and teams, giving fans an immersive experience before, during and after games.

 

http://www.sportsvideo.org/2016/04/05/twitter-snags-nfl-thursday-night-football-ott-streaming-rights/

[TheRolyPoly 1847]

So it won't simulcast the NFL Network-only games?

[nomadcowatbk 144]

Will they ever make a marquee game streaming exclusive?

[ToriElectra 291]

I'm wondering how their mobile apps could do this- not to mention the main site. Would they have to make a separate page?

[swillh2k2 203]

So it won't simulcast the NFL Network-only games?

 

Nope. This covers the first 10 games only.

[Thundershock MN 169]

So it won't simulcast the NFL Network-only games?

"Twitter will not have access to NFL Network's eight "TNF" games because of language in the channel's cable affiliate deals that do not allow for it."

 

The NFLN exclusive games will be available via NFL Mobile from Verizon on phones and Watch NFL Network on other devices just like last year, though.

 

I don't really see what Twitter gets out of spending $10M for a couple handfuls of Non-Exclusive NFL games. But, they apparently have some extra cash laying around or something.