If you’re a growing sports league, there’s never been a better time to be in the streaming game. Fans are watching everywhere — on mobile, streaming apps and linear TV. With private equity backing and smarter media technology, ambitious leagues can now compete with the giants for viewers and revenue. The playing field is leveling fast.

We’re in a post-exclusivity world. While exclusive broadcast deals once promised growth, today that deal may create constraints on production flexibility, geographic expansion and revenue potential, especially for smaller leagues. Many find themselves locked into rigid delivery models that stifle innovation. By embracing “sliced and diced” rights strategies, distributing across YouTube, streaming apps, social channels, FAST platforms or targeted international partners, leagues can expand their footprint and gather critical performance data. This not only drives immediate growth, but also forms future rights deals that are more targeted, data-driven and higher in value.

Going broad means being flexible. Each platform comes with its own technical demands, from mandatory closed captioning and SCTE-35 ad markers to varying aspect ratios, encoding formats and ad strategies. For........

© Sports Business Journal