Twitter strengthens growing live streaming business with NFL deal delivering exclusive content
Twitter has prolonged its partnership with the NFL after agreeing a new multi-year deal to deliver live football programme to fans around the world.
Twitter's multiyear deal includes a 30-minute show, highlights and sideline interviews
Earlier this year Amazon announced that it had acquired the live streaming rights to Thursday Night Football, leaving Twitter unable to follow-up on its $10m ground-breaking deal.
However, the social media platform has now formed a new deal with league officials which will see it stream official NFL video and other content to fans year-round, including a new 30-minute live show that will air on Twitter five nights per week during the season. The show will be hosted by NFL Network talent and will focus on areas such as breaking news and game highlights.
Twitter will also show live pre-game coverage on Periscope which will offer fans access in the form of player warmups and sideline interviews.
The third and final aspect of the deal will be video clips in the form of highlights, breaking news and analysis and historical footage which will utilise the popular ‘Throwback Thursday’ #TBT hashtag.
"We are very excited to offer football fans around the world even more content on Twitter from the NFL," said Twitter chief commercial officer Anthony Noto. "This new multiyear collaboration will bring compelling live studio programs that discuss what's happening in the NFL, unique behind the scenes live broadcasts before games, and the best NFL highlights to Twitter, alongside the real-time NFL conversation."
In addition to its live streaming agreement with Amazon the NFL has also struck a deal with Verizon to stream a game from one of the league’s Wembley games.
Maintain ties with the NFL has allowed Twitter to build on live streaming portfolio which includes deals with the PGA Tour and, most recently, a partnership with Bloomberg which will produce an exclusive round the clock news show.