NBC will allow Twitter to stream portions of some Olympic events; TNT is ending its “Players Only” NBA coverage; the Pac-12 is looking into Noon ET (9 AM PT) starts; AT&T’s CEO wants live sports on HBO Max.
NBC to stream part of some Olympic events on Twitter
NBC Sports announced an agreement with Twitter Thursday allowing the social media site to live stream portions of Olympic events scheduled for NBC’s primetime window. Each morning of the Games, NBC will allow Twitter users to vote on which event will be streamed. According to The New York Times, the “live look-ins” will last around five minutes each day, enough time to show a track and field race or a gymnastics floor routine.
The look-ins are just part of NBC’s agreement with Twitter. The deal also includes a daily 20-minute Olympic show that will be exclusive to the site. [NBC Sports PR 7.25, NYT 7.25]
TNT doing away with NBA “Players Only”
Turner Sports will discontinue its “Players Only” NBA telecasts, The Athletic writer Richard Deitsch reported Wednesday, ending a three-year run. The broadcasts, which featured former players in every on the air role, had been a source of criticism on social media. According to Deitsch, TNT will still air “Players Only” content during the season; in recent years, the brand has also been used on a series of interview specials. [Richard Deitsch/Twitter 7.24]
Pac-12 looking into 9 AM local time starts
The Pac-12 has engaged in preliminary discussions about scheduling games for Noon Eastern, or 9 AM Pacific, according to conference commissioner Larry Scott. Scott told NBC Sports Wednesday that he would like to schedule one or two Noon ET games as early as this season and then gauge the response. Currently, the earliest Pac-12 games kick off at 11 AM local time. [NBC Sports 7.24]
AT&T’s Stephenson floats live sports on HBO Max
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said Wednesday that the upcoming AT&T over-the-top service HBO Max will eventually include Turner Sports’ live sporting events, such NBA, NCAA Tournament and Major League Baseball games, though he was not specific as to how or when that would happen. Most media rights deals are tied to linear cable, the NBA’s deal with ESPN and Turner being an exception.
Sports Business Daily reported Thursday that NCAA executives were caught off guard by Stephenson’s comments and that there are no current plans to include Turner’s NCAA Tournament games on HBO Max. [Variety 7.24, SBD 7.25]
