The NFLs Digital Media Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The NFLs Digital Media Strategy - Essay Example While it is true that the players do seem to be getting more exciting and better with the games more spectacular and the presentation much slicker, this is only but one side of the NFL’s success. The other side of the NFL’s success lies behind the scenes with tactics, strategies and programs, which the NFL has followed in diligent, careful and ambitious stewardship of the NFL league. As a league, it is more than a collection of owners, coaches, players and franchises. The NFL also produces some of entertainments most sought after content. The leagues ambitious programming and broadcasting plans now require the flexibility to allow it distribute this content via new programs, channels, and ventures. In order to improve on the ability to capitalize on these new opportunities in the media, the NFL needs to re-invent its processes and systems to allow for increased monetization of its wireless broadcasts of content. Goals of the organization Like most successful entertainment and media companies, the NFL seeks to haul out as much value as it can from the assets it has in media. The core of this media content includes audio and video clips, which NFL, an affiliated media company films maintains and establishes (Hutchins & Rowe, 2012). NFL films acts as the NFLs most important channel for promotion. Operating out of New Jersey, the company produces such television programs as State Farm NFL match-up and Playbook. These programs represent the face of the NFL and, as such, the richness and quality of the content has to be just right. The NFL aims to gain several benefits from pursuing a digital content strategy. These are; more compelling and robust video content to be broadcast on wireless channels, improved ability to benefit from digital content partnerships and new media opportunities, strengthening of their brand on a global level, and improved ability to monetize and leverage the underlying value of its brand on a glo bal level (Hutchins & Rowe, 2012). Options Available There are several options open to the NFL n their pursuit of a lucrative digital content strategy. First, they could pursue an exclusive partnership with a wireless carrier, just like its current deal with Sprint. Second, they could form non-exclusive partnerships with an array of wireless carriers that would give them the right to carry their content on their phones but with no exclusive rights to the content. Third, they could include the rights to wireless content with one or more TV networks. This would involve showing live and full games or highlights in progress, as well as rights to NFL film’s live videos. Selection of Best Option including Analysis and Information Supporting the Decision The best option for the NFL would be to include wireless rights in partnerships with existing or new broadcast partners. This would work to achieve the double-digit growth anticipated by the bosses at the NFL because, with the deals for television broadcasts, up for renewal in the 2013 season, the mobile rights to NFL content would be of very high value to the TV broadcasters. Some of the networks, like ESPN, already have ESPN mobile, which offers to steam video, as well as other NFL content that could significantly enhance the NFL product. Even though, DirecTV already has the rights to wireless content meaning that any new deal would not give exclusive rights to the other TV networks, the networks would be willing to work with this given the demand for digital content by the consumer. They would still make a lot of money from non-exclusive deals by offering digital content to their clients (IBM, 2012). The communication industry is in the middle of a revolution known as convergence.