Notre Dame has "reached an agreement for an exclusive social content partnership with Bleacher Report," according to Mike Vorel of the SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE. As part of the deal, Bleacher Report "will embed a team of employees with the program" throughout the '16 football season. The company will "produce a weekly video feature, Facebook Live streams, social packages and game day Snapchat takeovers for its audience to consume on social media." The partnership "represents yet another way for Notre Dame to reach a younger audience -- prospective recruits included" (SOUTHBENDTRIBUNE.com, 8/4). In Indiana, Stephen Brooks notes Notre Dame last year was featured on Showtime as part of a documentary series, and football coach Brian Kelly indicated he "wouldn't want to bring the TV crew back for another year." The Bleacher Report deal "figures to be less intrusive and demanding while still providing a look at the program from the inside, the element that resonated most with recruits from the Showtime program" (GOSHEN NEWS, 8/5). In Boston, Chad Finn notes Bleacher Report as part of the agreement "gains further prominence by associating with the storied program." Meanwhile, Notre Dame gets an "enormous media venue to hype its program to the masses without any concern that actual journalism will interfere" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/5).
