The Fox Sports division of US network Fox has struck an acquisition deal with online sports startup StraightCast Media, while it will today (Friday) launch its coverage of the German Bundesliga football league with a landmark live streaming provision via video-sharing platform YouTube.
Fox Sports Digital has acquired assets from StraightCast Media, including its ‘Gridiron Grunts’ mobile app and other technology. In addition, StraightCast Media co-founder and former NFL American football player Jeb Terry has been named vice-president of program management at Fox Sports Digital.
Created by NFL teammates Terry and Ryan Nece, Gridiron Grunts has been used by more than 200 NFL players to capture mobile video that can be shared across multiple platforms, including television, digital and social media.
Content has included game previews, behind-the-scenes insight and answers to fan questions. Gridiron Grunts contributors have included Richard Sherman (pictured), Rob Gronkowski, Philip Rivers, Michael Vick, Victor Cruz, Marshawn Lynch, and Eddie Lacy.
Fox Sports previously partnered with StraightCast Media during the 2014 NFL season to create the Fox NFL Sunday segment ‘On the Bus’, which featured mobile video taken by players as they were heading to the game. Fox Sports Digital now plans to build on the success StraightCast Media has had around the NFL and expand to other sports, including Major League Baseball, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, football and golf.
Meanwhile, Fox Sports will provide free live streaming via YouTube to fans in the US of tonight’s Bundesliga season-opener between Bayern Munich and Hamburg SV.
The match will be available on the Fox Soccer YouTube page, with the move marking the first time Fox Sports will stream any major sporting event on the video-sharing platform. The initiative is intended as a one-off to promote Fox’s new Bundesliga rights deal. Fox Sports has acquired rights to the Bundesliga in the US across the 2015-16 to 2019-20 seasons.
Tonight’s match will be made available to any US-based YouTube user, regardless of whether they have a pay-television subscription.