When ESPN streamed the professional indoor lacrosse playoffs for pay-television subscribers last year, about 4,000 people tuned in on average. This year, the National Lacrosse League (NLL) averaged nearly 344,000 viewers for each “Game of the Week” streamed on Twitter.
For football and baseball, which have billion US-dollar national television contracts, an online or over-the-top (OTT) viewing option is a smart bet on the future and a way to please the most loyal fans.
For professional lacrosse and other small sports, it is a must, even when the teams are owned by billionaires.
“We’re not on the big linear networks,” NLL commissioner Nick Sakiewicz said in an interview. “We may be someday when those networks may want our content and they want our audience, but for now, OTT is the absolute best way.”
Until recently, small leagues had few options for national exposure.
Unable to attract large audiences like football and basketball, they often received no rights fees or even paid to get their games on the air. Other times, they maybe had just their finals on live TV.
Independent digital production companies like Sportsrocket Inc and NeuLion Inc have enabled smaller sports to economically reach more viewers.
While moves by minor sports to online streaming are not likely to threaten traditional outlets like ESPN, the business models these leagues are establishing might be a window into the future of sports broadcasting.
More consumers are shutting off their cable subscriptions in the Internet era, and even ESPN — one of the most-watched networks in the US — is crafting a streaming-video service that people could buy without having cable.
The nine-team lacrosse league last year created their own service NLL TV, Sakiewicz said.
The ad-supported, subscription OTT channel is offered online and on television via streaming devices such as Roku and Apple TV.
“The smaller leagues, even though they had fans who were just as passionate and demanded great quality, didn’t have the resources,” said Brian Bedol, founder and chief executive of Sportsrocket, which does online broadcasts for the NLL.
He calls his OTT services the “media version of fracking,” letting less-popular sports tap riches from smaller, hard-to-reach audiences.
By working with multiple clients, Sportsrocket keeps costs down and offers leagues like the NLL high-quality streaming at a fraction of what conventional TV would cost, Bedol said.
The NLL now has new revenue sources: ad sales from weekly Twitter games and its own NLL TV, along with more than 25,000 subscribers paying up to US$34.95 a year.
With NLL TV available around the clock, the league has more to offer advertisers, which has increased sales and sponsorships, NLL chief marketing officer Ashley Dabb said.
“More importantly it gives fans a place to go,” Dabb said.
That is especially important for smaller sports, said Scott Loffler, director of operations for the NLL’s Buffalo Bandits.
Unlike other professional leagues, NLL players work full-time as police officers, bankers, teachers and electricians, playing mostly on weekends. The average salary is about US$20,000, Loffler said.
The four-team National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL), which began in 2015, in June signed a broadcast deal with Twitter calling for 19 games to be aired in the 2017-2018 season, including the all-star game and the NWHL-Team Russia Summit Series.
The league’s goal is to eventually move the rest of its coverage off of YouTube and onto a dedicated OTT service, NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan said.
This year’s all-star game drew 6,300 views on YouTube.
Weather made going online a necessity for the World Surf League, which offered its first live stream in 2000.
Surfing depends on the right conditions for waves and traditional broadcasters cannot change scheduling on the fly.
Although the CBS Sports Network carries many big events and ABC airs some weekly highlights, all World Surf League live content is available free via streaming on the league’s Web site or app, said Tim Greenberg, the league’s head of digital and social media.
Working with NeuLion, the surfing league developed an advertising-backed model that helps sponsors reach specific audiences.
The firm’s interactive player, which lets viewers slow down the live stream or do a quick instant replay, means audiences stay with events longer, NeuLion executive vice president Chris Wagner said.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and