Thanksgiving Week! NBC Sports’ Rick Cordella, Prime Video’s Jeff Kaiser highlight SBJ Media Innovators
Nov 27, 2024
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Rick Cordella, President of NBC Sports, shares insights into the implications of NBCU's spinout and the future of sports broadcasting, including innovative concepts like Sunday Night Basketball. Jeff Kaiser, Head of U.S. Sports Programming at Prime Video, discusses Amazon's NBA rights deal and their strategy to boost engagement with exciting new content. They also touch on the evolution of Olympic viewership and the impact of big tech in transforming sports media, promising a bright future for sports fans.
Rick Cordella emphasizes NBC Sports' strategic shift post-spinout, highlighting the need for adaptability in a fragmented media landscape.
Jeff Kaiser outlines Amazon Prime Video's aggressive acquisition of NBA rights and integration of innovative viewing formats to enhance audience engagement.
Deep dives
Insights on NBC Sports' Future
The discussion highlights the transformative changes at NBC Sports, particularly following the recent spinout of NBC Universal's cable networks. Rick Cordella, the president of NBC Sports, explains how this shift impacts their strategy, emphasizing the importance of adhering to commitments made to partners like Golf Channel and USA. He points out that the evolving landscape of media requires adaptation, given that the initial value of cable assets has diminished in a more fragmented viewership environment. Cordella's insights into management transitions and their emphasis on sports illustrate a strong commitment to maintaining quality content, leveraging seasoned professionals, and embracing new talent to compete in a challenging market.
NBA's Role in NBCUniversal Strategy
Cordella discusses the strategic fit of the NBA within NBCUniversal's broader plans, highlighting its position as a cultural powerhouse that attracts viewership. He emphasizes a data-driven approach to decision-making, pointing to the successes achieved with events such as the wild card playoff game and its positive impact on subscriber growth for Peacock, NBC's streaming service. Looking ahead, he reveals plans for a comprehensive NBA broadcast schedule, including Monday night doubleheaders and the introduction of 'Sunday Night Basketball' designed to elevate the viewing experience. This focus embodies an intention to position the NBA as a central aspect of the sports offering on both NBC and Peacock.
Innovations in Sports Broadcasting
Innovative broadcasting strategies were front and center as the episodes explore advancements aimed at attracting new audiences, particularly younger demographics. ESPN's upcoming animated NBA Christmas Day game featuring characters like Mickey Mouse represents creative efforts to engage younger viewers, drawing on successful past experiments with alternative broadcasts. Additionally, the integration of cartoon formats aims to cater to a more diverse audience base, addressing prior challenges faced in engaging casual fans amidst a rapidly evolving media landscape. Such creative broadcasting techniques highlight the emphasis on making sports entertaining and accessible, thereby potentially enhancing overall viewership and engagement.
Amazon's Renewed Focus on NBA Rights
The future of NBA media rights was spotlighted with insights from Jeff Kaiser of Amazon Prime Video, who detailed the comprehensive package they secured starting next season. The deal encompasses key programming like playoff games, in-season tournaments, and WNBA coverage, illustrating Amazon's aggressive stance in capturing significant sports assets. Kaiser addressed Amazon's strategy of integrating innovative viewing formats and enhancing customer experiences within the context of their existing sports offerings, pointing to their successful partnership with the NFL as a model. He indicated that the focus would remain not only on distribution but also on producing high-quality, engaging content that resonates with audiences across multiple platforms.
Happy Thanksgiving from the Sports Media Podcast. In this season of thanks, co-hosts Austin Karp and Mollie Cahillane revisit two of the most insightful panels from the SBJ Media Innovators conference. First, we hear from NBC Sports President Rick Cordella in a discussion with SBJ’s Abe Madkour about the recently announced NBCU spinout. Later in the show, we listen in on Karp’s conversation with Prime Video Head of U.S. Sports Programming Jeff Kaiser about the direction his organization is headed with a new NBA rights package.
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