Yahoo Sports is teaming up with NBC Sports in a content and promotional deal likely to give sports fans more content than they’ll know what to do with.
The pair will work together on premium sports news and event coverage, Yahoo said in a statement on the partnership, though each organization will retain editorial control of their respective newsrooms and digital properties.
So what exactly can sports fans look forward to? Original web-based sports shows, for one. The pair will work on developing a number of shows for both Yahoo Sports and NBCSports.com, with some coverage fronted by NBC Sports host and Emmy award-winning commentator Bob Costas.
On top of that, NBC’s Sports Live Extra video player will bring some of NBC’s biggest events – including Sunday Night Football and NHL Game of the Week – to Yahoo Sports users, while Yahoo’s fantasy sports platform will become the exclusive game provider of NBC Sports’ fantasy news and information website Rotoworld. There’ll also be live-streaming link-ups and sharing of Yahoo Sports’ news reports.
Of course, the two media companies aren’t going in for this just for the fun of it – joint advertising initiatives will go towards helping to monetize the partnership.
“Passionate fans need news and analysis about their favorite teams in real time, and they want access to that information no matter where they are,” Yahoo’s Ken Fuchs said, adding “We’re thrilled to combine Yahoo’s fantasy offerings, product innovation and editorial authority with NBC’s broadcast coverage of live sports events and award-winning on-air talent.”
NBC Sports Group chairman Mark Lazarus said the deal would “dramatically expand the digital reach of NBC Sports around the biggest sporting events” and said his company was “committed to continually growing this alliance for the benefit of both parties, our sports-property partners, and, most importantly, sports fans.”
NBC Sports has a huge collection of television rights agreements, giving Yahoo an excellent chance to broaden its sports coverage and win back fans as the web company strives to turn its business around. For NBC, the alliance means a deepening of its web presence and access to Yahoo’s well-established and extensive sports coverage.
