The San Francisco 49ers NFL American football franchise will set a league first by live streaming each of its four 2018 preseason games via its official website.
The 49ers will provide free live streaming at 49ers.com, becoming the first NFL team to activate its streaming rights with its local broadcast partner via the primary club website.
As the official preseason broadcast partner of the 49ers and local affiliate of the CBS network, KPIX 5 will air all four preseason games locally while their production will also be available via 49ers.com and the 49ers Mobile App throughout the Bay Area.
Earlier this month, the NFL sent a memo to all member clubs outlining guidelines for working with their local broadcast partners to expand digital distribution of preseason game broadcasts in an effort to meet the demands of emerging platforms and shifting consumption patterns.
To meet market demand, the NFL has built the infrastructure for any team that chooses to take up the streaming opportunity.
“The 49ers are fortunate to play in one of the most connected markets in the world where our fans expect seamless engagement with team content,” 49ers president Al Guido said. “Through our partnership with KPIX, the fan-first mentality of the NFL and the talented in-house agency of 49ers Studios, we are proud to further strengthen our community connection by delivering dynamic game, team and partner content to our fans in ways that evolve alongside their viewing habits.”
The 49ers kick off their preseason campaign against the Dallas Cowboys on August 9 and conclude the four fixtures with a clash against the Los Angeles Chargers on August 30. Both games will be played at the 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium.
In between, the 49ers will travel to Houston to face the Texans on August 18 and Indianapolis to play the Colts on August 25.
Streaming via 49ers.com and the 49ers Mobile App will only be available for viewers located in the team’s primary and secondary viewing markets, which encompasses the Bay Area and most of Northern California.