RSN Summit: Industry Pros Navigate Rights and Opportunities of Digital

Leaders from Fox Sports, NBC Sports, and Verizon examine the challenges and strategies

Digital programming and internal operations and workflows have been dramatically changing how regional sports networks view content creation and distribution. The fact was evident last month during the inaugural SVG RSN Summit in Chicago, where thoughts on live streaming and social-media strategies bubbled to the surface at nearly every presentation and panel discussion.

Although the worlds of digital and linear programming are blending, the rights agreements are still very distinct, especially when it comes to live game coverage. Michael Spirito, VP, business development and digital media, Fox Sports Regional Networks, discusses how his company works those complex relationships:

Many regional sports networks fall under a larger parent company (Fox Sports, Comcast SportsNet, ROOT Sports). However, each network functions best when treated as an individual entity. Jen Franklin, VP, digital, NBC Sports Regional Networks, discusses striking a balance between maintaining a national corporate brand and fostering a unique identity at each network:

Each digital platform — be it a website or a social-media network — offers unique opportunities for content creators. T.K. Gore, senior director, digital, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, shares how his team develops a workflow strategy to meet the demands of those platforms:

In many cases, a regional sports network’s digital team may be a group working in its own silo. That’s beginning to change. At Fox Sports Regional Networks, for example, Spirito emphasizes his digital team’s working closely with and taking part in meetings with traditional linear-production teams.

Verizon’s digital-media service, go90, offers users a platform to watch and share video clips in a mobile setting. The platform has even offered sports fans a mobile destination to watch live NBA games. Jeffrey Gilbert, client executive, media and entertainment, Verizon Digital Media Services, shares the latest with go90 and what Verizon is learning from the experience:

If you’d like to watch this panel discussion in its entirety, CLICK HERE.

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