The NFL and Facebook have agreed to a deal that will allow Facebook to stream NFL game recaps and highlights. The deal is part of a growing initiative from the NFL -- which is notoriously protective of in-game content -- to bring its product to multiple platforms as more and more people cut the cords. Facebook, meanwhile, is trying to become the platform people come to when they do cut cords.
Facebook was bidding to be the platform that would stream Thursday night games during the last offseason, but it ultimately lost out to Amazon in the bidding process. Not only will Facebook get highlights from regular season games, but it will also have them for the playoffs and the Super Bowl, according to the NFL.
"We have millions of fans on Facebook, and they continue to demonstrate an incredible appetite for NFL content," Hans Schroeder, the chief operating officer of NFL Media, said.
Facebook isn't the first social media service to get extracurricular content from the NFL. Twitter already has a pregame show with the NFL, whereas the NFL Network is 24/7 NFL content. As for what Facebook is getting out of it, it's hoping that "active NFL fan communities on Facebook [will] watch and debate the top storylines from each week," per Facebook's head of global partnerships Dan Reed. Based on that statement, it's unlikely that he's seen Facebook comment sections.
The terms of advertising weren't disclosed with the initial report, but it is known that the deal will be effective immediately and for the next two years.
