The WNBA has a long ways to go to reach the popularity of other U.S. professional sports leagues. But new technology platforms like Twitter and FanDuel are becoming important growth tools for the 21-year-old organization as it looks to expand its marketing efforts around the world. WNBA Commissioner Lisa Borders was in Seattle this weekend for the WNBA All-Star Game, held in the Emerald City for the first time since the league launched back in 1997. She spoke to reporters before the game on Saturday at Key Arena and shed light on the league’s growth in recent years. Borders, who… Read More
Everyone these days wants to be like Amazon, even the NFL apparently. At the 2017 GeekWire Sports Tech Summit, NFL COO Tod Leiweke addressed Amazon’s deal to stream 10 Thursday Night Football games this season for a reported price of $50 million. Amazon took over for Twitter, which paid a reported $10 million for the same exact package last season. Leiweke praised Amazon and compared his league to the retail giant’s approach of “customer obsession” when it comes to improving the experience for fans. “It’s been fun for us to talk to the Amazon guys,” Leiweke said. “They are just amazing… Read More
Twitter lost out on a chance to broadcast live NFL games for the second season in a row, but the social media company will still host exclusive pro football content this year. Twitter and the NFL on Thursday announced a new multi-year deal for several programs to be aired through Periscope and Twitter. Twitter will be home to a 30-minute daily studio show with top analysts from the NFL Network, as well as a pre-game show before primetime Thursday, Sunday and Monday games that will include player warm-ups and sideline interviews. “This new multi-year collaboration will bring compelling live studio… Read More
NEW ORLEANS — Terrell Owens, the former NFL wide receiver known to many fans as T.O., dropped by the Collision media and technology conference this week to offer advice on how professional football players should conduct themselves online and provide his perspective on fitness technology and business. Tackling social media Owens caused a stir on Twitter in February when he tweeted about the Pro Football Hall of Fame being “a joke” when he wasn’t voted into it. When you align expectations with reality you will never be disappointed. To my family,fans & friends I'm a Hall Of Famer. #FlawedProcess —… Read More
Twitter is doubling down on sports. The tech company today at its first-ever Digital Content NewFronts presentation announced more than a dozen new live streaming content deals, including several sports-related partnerships that continue to add to Twitter’s growing catalog. Among the new deals includes one with the WNBA that will have the women’s pro hoops league stream weekly regular season games on Twitter (20 per season) over the next three years. Another is a new NFL live program produced by the league exclusively for Twitter and hosted by NFL Network on-air talent; there’s also additional on-demand highlights and pre-game video coming as part of an… Read More
