NFL and Bleacher Report Team Up on Highlights and Super Bowl

The NFL will add Bleacher Report to its team this offseason with a multi-year deal that it hopes will transform the audience and content of Warner Bros.’ digital platform.

The partnership, which kicked off NFL Wild Card weekend, gives Bleacher Report and House of Highlights access to NFL game footage for their app, social content and programming; behind-the-scenes content from league officials, players and coaches during the season; and on-site access and on-site activation for major events, including the NFL Scouting Combine, NFL Draft, and Super Bowl.

Now, if, say, Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys linebacker– who currently discusses various events in the NFL and college football week on his Bleacher Report video podcast, The Edge – wants to recap a game and break down specific moments, he can use the highlights with the blessing of the league.

“[Using highlights] it just brings the fan closer to the player’s perspective,” said Bennett Spector, managing director of Bleacher Report.

While Bleacher Report will be able to use those highlights on properties like the Parsons show, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel’s Cleats and Convos, and other programming, becoming an official content partner of the NFL allows the TNT property Sports to work more closely with official sponsors NFL. Although the league’s insurance partner Nationwide already sponsors Parsons’ show, Bleacher Report sees an opportunity to build new content franchises around its access to the league while providing the NFL and its allies with marks the opportunity to reach a younger and more digital audience.

“Having an official partnership helps them have a better and stronger conversation with some of our partners, who have already decided, ‘OK, we’re going to attack the NFL,'” said Brent Lawton, vp of business development and strategic investments. to the NFL. “Being able to go and do this on their platform with official content helps put the pieces of the puzzle together.”

Get to the goal line

In the Bleacher Report/NFL deal, both sides of the ball make a play for an extended reach.

From the NFL’s perspective, Bleacher Report is a large, established digital audience that skews a little younger than the NFL average, but is specifically interested in sports. They are an established presence with an audience that is already aware of the NFL, even if they are not actively watching games, playing in fantasy leagues, or betting every week.