NHL: We Like YouTube Too
Less than two weeks after announcing they’ve partnered with Google Video, the NHL has now announced they have a deal with Google Video’s step-sister YouTube.
The partnership marks the first time that a professional U.S. sports league has entered into a content agreement with YouTube. The agreement will enable users to access video highlights of NHL regular season games, which will be available within 24 hours of the original broadcast, in addition to other on and off ice footage.
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Through its partnership with YouTube, the NHL will be able to take advantage of YouTube’s “Claim Your Content” program, which features an advanced content identification architecture and reporting system allowing the league to identify and protect its copyrighted content. The league will have the option to remove the content from YouTube or allow it to remain and share the revenue from the advertising placed adjacent to the content.
The “claim your content” program is an interesting one. It’s a great concept, as far as I’m concerned. Instead of copyright owners simply saying “take it down”, it allows the video to remain and the owner to share revenue from it. IMO, it’s the most important part of this deal: what will the NHL remove, and what will it allow to remain.
I don’t post many videos on either of the GooTube sites myself, but people sure like posting some of the ones I’ve created. The NHL has an opportunity here to let others market for them and profit from it at the same time. Will the NHL go old school corporate we must control it all, or will they allow the fans to market the parts of the game they love? With the benefit of eyes and money, it’ll be interesting to see what, if anything disappears.
While the NHL wasn’t doing anything new with the GV deal, the YT deal is significant. It’s a first, and more than myspace-like pages or blogs, user video is the best way to let the fans promote the game.
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That is probably the smartest move I’ve seen any player make in the whole copyright infringement stance. Rather than try to eliminate the medium, embrace it and get your property back. I wonder how claims are settled between two claimants.
Posted by Van (furiousBall) on Nov 16, 2006 at 04:56 PM
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