Unlocking the Potential of TikTok's Underground Live Sports Streams
How can live sports adapt to the TikTok world, since fans on TikTok already have?
The Rise of TikTok in Legacy Media Distribution: As we recently discussed on Disruptive Play, TikTok rapidly emerging with serious potential in TV and movie distribution is not just a random occurrence. Why? Modern viewers, particularly Gen Z, are gravitating towards content in bite-sized formats. TikTok's user base created (pirated) formats offering a quick taste of shows or movies without the commitment of hours (RIP Quibi) - these short, engaging videos align perfectly with this this generations content preferences. And TikTok’s algorithm excels at introducing users to new content, breathing life into shows and movies that might have been overlooked on traditional platforms.
Traditional Media's Emerging Response: Recognizing TikTok’s potential (and content being pirated), major players like Paramount and Peacock have started to strategically release content on the platform. By uploading segments of shows or movies, they're not only driving new viewership but also generating buzz for future content, conversation, and opening doors to monetization.
But what about live sports?
Live sports consumption is significant on TikTok, albeit mostly through illegal streams.
This presents a unique challenge and an untapped opportunity for leagues and rights holders.
A Wake-Up Call for Sports Leagues: Instead of corralling younger generations behind paywalls (spoiler alert - they aren’t biting), and waiting for social platforms to pay up for rights fees (they won’t [we saw how that played out]), rights holders NEED to figure out a way to embrace the underground TikTok Live Sports streams.
Why? Play the ball where it lies. The average age of all major leagues continues to increase - your young audience solution is staring you right in the face. For deeper engagement with younger audiences, access to new fans, and the creation of new monetization opportunities, lean in and think differently.
Let’s do some rough math: Think about the concurrent viewership of these live streams that is happening across the platform at any given time. Even if you are extremely conservative and say the concurrents over the course of a 2-3 hour game are 1,000 - 2,000, when you extrapolate what that means in terms of watch time, viewers and impressions you are still talking a few million 30 Sec video impressions per live stream. Take that and multiply by a CPM of $10 (which is low given live sport and the demographic), we’re talking ten’s of thousands of dollars per stream…. And how many of these streams are happening at any given time ? You can start to see where the numbers go...
Disruptive Play – How can rights holders adapt to the TikTok Live Sports world, especially since fans on TikTok already have?
New “Vertical” First Formats: Sports offering fast-paced action, frequent scoring, visually appealing moments, or showcasing individual skills are ideal for TikTok. These formats can quickly captivate viewers, align with the platform's youthful audience, and provide culturally rich content in a short-form context.
The yet-to-launch World 1 League introduces an innovative concept in sports entertainment, focusing on 1v1 battles across various sports, perfectly tailored for short-form social video platforms. This format emphasizes head-to-head competitions, primetime showdowns, short-form streaming, and a new 1v1 ecosystem, offering an interesting way to incorporate monetization.
(Image Courtesy of World 1)
Alternative Streaming Experiences: Can TikTok serve as an alternative stream during live games, offering unique perspectives in real-time? Imagine a live basketball game where TikTok offers a parallel stream focusing on a star player, providing close-ups, insights into their strategies, and instant replays of key moments.
Collaboration with Content Creators: Partnering with TikTok influencers to create unique content around live sports events can include pre-game hype, live reactions, or post-game analysis.
Monetization can come from shared advertising revenue or sponsored content deals.
New Monetization
From Media Inventory to Sponsored Content: This involves bundling ad inventory to express sponsorship dollars across live streams, interactive polls during broadcasts, logo bugs, highlight swipes and branded challenges for fan participation.
In-App Purchases for Exclusive Content and E-Commerce: This could include direct sales of team or player merchandise within the app and virtual meet-and-greets, offering fans paid opportunities for interactions with players or sports personalities.
The shift in sports broadcasting is clear. The question now is, which sports will seize these opportunities to engage with the TikTok generation? The potential for innovative monetization and fan engagement on this platform is immense, and it's time for the sports world to play disruptively.