SportsCenter is bringing a sports show to Snapchat. It will air two times every day at 5 pm and at 5 am (weekdays). Weekends will only have one show that will air at 5 am. Its debut was on 13th November 2017. It seeks to reach a mobile-centric and younger demo in a plan to move from cable and entice digital audiences. All the episodes will run for three to five minutes.
Snapchat’s SportsCenter will mainly focus on buzzy topics around the rink, court, and field. Once in a while, it will also feature highlights according to ESPN. These will be presented and cut differently, and some of them may not include the stuff that is in the traditional show. The aim is to offer a production that entertains and informs at the same time. Furthermore, it will also expand to cover new about other sports than the big four.
The Disney owned sports programmer is a version of ESPN’s Flagship Program. It is meant to take SportsCenter’s DNA and transplant it onto snap according to Glenn Jacobs who is the senior coordinating producer of its digital content.
Katie Nolan was the host of the premier show. She is an Emmy- award-winning sports personality who was working for Fox Sports before recently moving to Fox Sports. Other hosts are:
- Cy Amundson, a comedian
- Elle Duncan an anchor
- Jason Fitz, a radio host
- Cassidy Hubbarth an NBA commentator
Note that each of the personality-driven shows will only have one host. He or she will be responsible for delivering an opinionated perspective on recent chatter and events.
Two years ago ESPN was a launch partner for Discover media on Snapchat. However, it makes use of a format that is more magazine-like mainly focusing on images and text. Snapchat Shows adapt a design that is more similar to mobile TV.
ESPN’s crown jewel, SportsCenter will most likely define how generations will perceive sports culture and sports at large. Snapchat will benefit from the move as it looks for ways to bring in new users after failing to achieve Wall Street Expectations on the increase of revenue and users. Snap’s head of content Sean Mills says that they are focusing on the loyalty that Snapchat already has. He added that the social media site has daily users who are actively visiting the app at least 25 times daily.
Snap will feature SportsCenter on the apps Shows section. Its prominent daily placement both at the center and at the front will give ESPN a platform to sell ads for the show. Both parties have a revenue-sharing agreement.
It is sad that even as ESPN launches SportsCenter, the sports programmer will still be going through with plans to lay off around people as it seeks to eliminate a hundred positions this fall according to reports from Sports Illustrated. It is also working in launching ESPN Plus that is slated to premiere in 2018 as a direct-to-direct consumer streaming service.
Similar shows on Snapchat include The Update from CNN and Stay Tuned (NBC News). Mills reveals that there are plans to expand shows on Snap into an extensive range featuring various genres which will also include content that is scripted. To make this happen the company has already established a studio joint venture teaming up with NBCUniversal to come up with scripted shows with a deal with Jay and Mark Duplass who are expert filmmakers.
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