Facebook’s new ‘Watch’ platform set to feature live sports section
August 10, 2017
Facebook has announced that it is launching a new platform called ‘Watch’ which will see the social media powerhouse take on Youtube and traditional television networks.
The launch will give users of the platform an opportunity to watch shows consisting of episodes with live or recorded content – including sports.
The sports broadcast landscape is changing as new players enter the market and Facebook’s offering will represent an additional place fans can watch sports content.
“We’re introducing Watch, a new platform for shows on Facebook. Watch will be available on mobile, on desktop and laptop, and in our TV apps,” wrote Daniel Danker, Director of Product at Facebook.
“Shows are made up of episodes — live or recorded — and follow a theme or storyline. To help you keep up with the shows you follow, Watch has a Watchlist so you never miss out on the latest episodes.
“We think Watch will be home to a wide range of shows, from reality to comedy to live sports. To help inspire creators and seed the ecosystem, we’ve also funded some shows that are examples of community-oriented and episodic video series.
“We’re excited to see how creators and publishers use shows to connect with their fans and community.”
Watch is expected to feature a wide range of sports content in addition to the current deals in place. Major League Baseball streams weekly Friday night games on Facebook Live while Univision Deportes has deals with MLS and Liga MX to show a number of live matches on Facebook.
Watch will have a limited release in the USA before being rolled out across the globe.
