YouTube will stream an NFL game worldwide, for free, in a significant expansion of the video platform’s relationship with the football league.
YouTube and the NFL say that the platform will stream the week one international game, which will be held Friday Sept. 5 and take place in São Paulo, Brazil. The Los Angeles Chargers will play in the game, with their opponent to be revealed Wednesday.
The game will be the first free exclusive NFL game to stream on YouTube, which has the rights to the premium out-of-market NFL Sunday Ticket package. As the NFL has pursued deals with new streaming partners, it has prioritized scale and reach, and no streaming platform has the scale or reach of YouTube, which counts well north of one billion users.
While the NFL has long cut deals with traditional media companies like ESPN, NBC Sports, CBS Sports and Fox Sports, its pact with Amazon Prime Video changed the trajectory of its deals, with Prime providing stability and scale in streaming that had not been viable previously.
Last year the NFL announced exclusive Christmas Day games on Netflix, a deal that has since been extended. But YouTube has been a particular priority for the league, not only with Sunday Ticket, but also in an effort to engage younger consumers and fans by giving top creators access to games.
Still, an exclusive global game (well, almost global, more on that below) is a significant expansion, and will test YouTube’s ability to drive interest in a game seeking more global acceptance and fandom. The league has also leveraged its in-house studio NFL Films in a bid to develop more documentary and entertainment fare for its own platforms, as well as other streaming services and networks.
In keeping with NFL policy, the YouTube game will also be available on broadcast TV in the relevant local markets of each team. It will also not be available in a few select countries, including Canada.
YouTube has also inked a multiyear deal for the annual Super Bowl Flag Football game featuring creators, celebrities and musical artists, with additional international flag football games.
“We are excited to expand our relationship with YouTube to bring this year’s Brazil game to a worldwide audience,” said Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president of media distribution. “YouTube and YouTube TV have been incredible partners of the NFL for several years and boast an immense global reach, and we look forward to Week 1 in São Paulo.”
“Last year, people spent over 350 million hours watching official NFL content on YouTube, so it’s both fitting and thrilling to continue to build our relationship with our partners at the NFL,” added Mary Ellen Coe, chief business officer, YouTube. “Streaming the Friday night game to fans for free around the world will mark YouTube’s first time as a live NFL broadcaster – and we’ll do it in a way that only YouTube can, with an interactive viewing experience and creators right at the center of the experience.”
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
