- Image by turtlemom4bacon via Flickr
Can you imagine being told that you can’t use twitter or facebook on your mobile device at the big game? I can’t, but the SEC seems to think that they can during intercollegiate sporting events…
What is interesting about this story to me is that it’s preemptive in nature. The SEC signed a 15 year, $3B (that’s B for billion) deal with CBS and ESPN who will have exclusive broadcasting rights during that time frame. They’ve written the policy now, to protect themselves from future technologies that will allow the average fan in a bleacher seat to live broadcast streaming video from inside the venue.
That’s right… that’s where this is all going apparently.
Radio vs. Television Part II
At lunch today, my friend Rob May made a statement about social media not replacing traditional media. The analogy he used is that the television did not replace the radio, you simply had both radio listeners AND television watchers after TV came on the scene.
The radio broadcasted voice and the television added moving pictures to those voices. When people purchased and started watching their television sets, they just added that to their routine. Companies that produced radio content either had to change their business model, or agree to split revenues with the new medium as their loyal listeners time was now divided between two platforms.
I wanted to disagree with Rob about the similarities in this particular situation, but now that I’ve read this story and understand the SEC’s angle and have thought it through… I can’t. If I want to watch a professional production, I will. If I want to watch amateur video, I will. These two mediums will coexist like radio and television.
I think that the bigger opportunity lies in providing for the cross-section of individuals who will eventually want to do both.
How can the business model change so that fans at home are able to achieve an experience that is equal to or perhaps even better than being their in person? Is that even possible?
What do you think?
Props to my colleague Kelly for sharing the SEC story with me. 
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