Anshell (l) and Shaw believe Stadium and Facebook are in a unique position to partner in providing contentTONY FLOREZ
Facebook Head of Global Sports Media & League Partnerships Rob Shaw and Stadium Managing Dir of Operations Adam Anshell discussed the success of live sports on Facebook at Day 1 of the Endeavor Streaming Sports Media & Technology conference. The efforts have drawn extraordinary engagement from fans who use the social media platform’s tools to watch games with each other -- and even the broadcasters. Shaw said there still is not a business model for rights-driven packages at scale. He noted Facebook can help properties build bonds among their fans. "Audience development is a key part of what we are, and that’s something we can give today," Shaw said. "How do we build this into a business financially? That’s a challenge, and that’s a hard thing for us. We are free to air, and we intend to remain free to air, that’s a big part of our advantage." Anshell pointed out fans come to Facebook "expecting to be involved in the broadcast, and that’s not necessarily the case with linear."
