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Google To Pay Rights Fee In Low Six Figures To Stream NBA D-League Games This Year

Google has agreed to pay the NBA a rights fee in the low six figures to stream 350 NBA D-League games live this season. NBA officials describe the one-year deal as an "experiment" and say they will be focused on the number of streams and advertising revenue (which will be sold by YouTube) that is generated from the games. "This is a recognition that a new generation of fans are spending an increasing amount of time on the Internet and, in particular, on YouTube," said NBA Deputy Commissioner & COO Adam Silver. The games will be made available through a D-League channel that is being launched to coincide with the start of the season. Games can be seen on YouTube or via a YouTube video player on NBA.com and team websites. The NBA says the deal will see the D-League produce more live games on YouTube than other major professional sports leagues. The deal also is important, as it gives the NBA a chance to test YouTube's delivery platforms years before its media rights deals with ESPN and Turner expire in '16. "Do we think Google-YouTube will bid for rights in 2016? It's uncertain," Silver said. "I've learned not to try and predict the future in this business. ... The fact that Google is paying a rights fee for live sports definitely gets our attention." The D-League has long served as a laboratory for the NBA to test new products and rules. Last year, the D-League tested new LED stanchion signage before the NBA teams this year adopted the new signs to gain another sponsorship related revenue stream. The D-League in the past has tested lightweight uniforms now worn by NBA teams and also served as a testing ground for the ill-fated synthetic basketball that was rejected by NBA players. The league this year is testing new rules, including using a three-minute overtime instead of the NBA's current five-minute session.

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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