BYU's national non-commercial TV network, BYUtv, today announced the launch of BYUtvsports.com -- a website that combines social media interaction and gamification elements. The site is designed to allow fans to live stream or access BYUtv's video-on-demand archive on any device and interface with other social media platforms. Once registered, users can interact with other BYU fans, provide their own live game commentary or postgame analysis and upload photos and videos (BYU). In Utah, Jeff Call writes unlike other fan sites, BYUtvsports.com “provides opportunities for fans to immerse themselves in various aspects of the game -- in new ways, on various devices, in real time -- by linking themselves with BYUtv's vast broadcasting resources, technologies and capabilities.” The newest feature on the site is billed as “an online tailgate party.” BYUtv Digital Media Dir Ryan Holmes said, “We wanted a place to aggregate all of that content. So when you go to watch the BYU-Washington State game, there can be a whole bunch of fan content associated with that game that you are able to look at." He added, “It really is unprecedented to give this kind of access. It's all possible because the football team went independent and because of our relationship with ESPN. We have digital rights that most teams just don't have. I don't see anything out there yet in the college sports landscape that compares to what we're doing.” BYU Broadcasting Senior Coordinating Producer of Sports Events & Programming Mikel Minor said that BYUtv will “incorporate social media often in its broadcasts" (DESERET NEWS, 8/30).
