BSkyB Shares Real-Time Champions League Highlights On Twitter Following Successful Trial

BSkyB and Twitter have agreed to a deal "to share video highlights from UEFA Champions League football games in real time," according to Robert Cookson of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Sky sharing "some of it most valuable sports clips free of charge with social media users is a coup for Twitter." Starting yesterday with three Champions League games including La Liga club FC Barcelona against Serie A club AC Milan, the Sky Sports Twitter account is sharing "highlights including instant replays of the best goals and post-match interviews." Sky is "paying Twitter an undisclosed sum to promote its tweets to people across the social media service in the UK." The broadcaster has "faced increased competition from BT this year over sports content." Sky's move "follows a trial on transfer deadline day in September." U.K.-based Grabyo, whose software is used by Sky to grab and share clips, said that the trial "involved 6,000 clips and generated more than 570,000 views in 12 hours" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 10/22).