MLBAM Experimenting With Putting Live Game Streaming On Facebook

MLBAM this week has begun to experiment with live games on Facebook, placing one Spring Training game per day for free on the social networking site. The effort will continue for the duration of Spring Training as MLBAM evaluates usage patterns for the video content on Facebook, as well as the platform's marketing value for the MLB.tv subscription package. MLBAM has not yet decided whether to continue the effort into the regular season. But conceptually, it is an extension of the one free live game per day offered since '09 within the MLB.com At Bat mobile application and on MLB.com beginning this season, again acting in part as teasers for the full package. The interest in Facebook as a potential means of video delivery amplifies an already fast-growing interest by MLBAM in the platform. Other sports entities such as UFC have attempted similar strategies by using Facebook to distribute free content and upsell larger premium content offerings.