Bleacher Report secures NFL highlight rights ahead of Super Bowl
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Derwin James Jr. #3 of the Los Angeles Chargers attempts to intercept a pass against Dalton Schultz #86 of the Houston Texans. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report, the 20-year-old digital sports brand, has signed a multi-year deal with the NFL that provides it with official game footage to use across social channels and owned-and-operated platforms, executives told Axios.
Why it matters: The deal speaks to parent Warner Bros. Discovery's commitment to live sports — and the appeal of Bleacher Report, one of the largest sports media brands on social media, to the NFL.
- Bleacher Report "has a sizable base of sports fans, and an official partnership adds authenticity and helps further engage an already-established audience," said Brent Lawton, vice president of business development and strategic investments at the NFL.
Zoom in: As part of the deal, Bleacher Report will receive individual highlights and game recaps from NFL games, per Lawton.
- It will also get silent NFL game footage for use in its original content across social media and B/R sites and apps, as well as access-driven content from select games throughout the season.
- Bleacher Report will also be able to access NFL tentpole events for content capture, including the Super Bowl, the NFL Draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine.
- It will have the right to sell sponsorships and media packages around content leveraging those NFL assets, said Bleacher Report general manager Bennett Spector.
- As an official content partner of the NFL, the company will also be able to engage the league's official marketing partners, he added.
Between the lines: With the NFL, Bleacher Report now has digital content deals with all of the major U.S. sports leagues and beyond, Spector said.
- As a result of Warner Bros. Discovery's lawsuit settlement with the NBA, Bleacher Report and its flagship franchise now have rights to promote NBA content, as well as TNT Sports, a linear network also owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.
- Bleacher Report also has digital rights to games and events from Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, United States Soccer Federation, Major League Soccer, the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Championship, NASCAR, Roland-Garros, and more.
Zoom out: The NFL deal underscores Warner Bros. Discovery's commitment to Bleacher Report and sports writ large, said Raph Poplock, senior vice president of strategic partnerships, content acquisitions and business development at Warner Bros. Discovery.
- Bleacher Report and House of Highlights "serve as the connective tissue" between Warner Bros. Discovery's digital platforms, including its streaming service Max, and its linear TV networks like TBS and TNT.
- The two brands also give the company leverage in league deals given their reach with younger audiences, especially on social media.
The big picture: The NFL has been brokering more deals with digital publishers and platforms as it seeks to expand its audience.
