Are You Ready for Some (Real) Football?

In a deal that speaks volumes about the maturity of the online market for
premium content, Seattle-based RealNetworks on Wednesday
announced a partnership with pro football’s NFL.com to hawk exclusive
playoff and Super Bowl multimedia programming.

In what must be seen as a coup for the premium RealOne SuperPass service,
the deal gives RealNetworks exclusive online rights to playoff programming
at the league’s SuperBowl.com site
and four live 90-minute programs during Super Bowl week later in
January.

It does not affect the play-by-play webcasts available for free at the NFL.com portal but it’s not a stretch to
imagine the league is paving the way for the launch of a pay-per-listen
streaming service similar to those offered by MLB.com and NBA.com.

Both the pro baseball and basketball leagues have been been busy selling
live play-by-play audio webcasts and industry watchers expect the NFL to
follow suit, pointing to Wednesday’s RealNetworks deal as the first step in
that direction.

Officials at NFL.com could not be reached to discuss long-term plans, and
a spokesman for SportsLine.com , which runs the Web
operations for the league’s 32 franchises, declined to comment.

According to RealNetworks, which also enjoys exclusivity on MLB.com,
subscribers to the $10-per-month RealOne SuperPass service get access to
multimedia content from SuperBowl.com in addition to the NFL Insider’s Vic
Carucci’s Weekly Preview of upcoming games. SuperPass users also get a
multi-media review of each prior week’s most compelling playoff game.

During Super Bowl week (January 19-25), Real’s paying subscribers will
also access a live and on-demand 90-minute show produced by NFL Films — to
be webcast from Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, where the big game is being
played this year.

NFL Films video highlights of all the playoff games will also be part of
the subscription hook as well as
exclusive coverage and access to members only webcasts during Super Bowl
week, RealNetworks said.

To entice football fans into paying, SuperBowl.com will dangle some free
offerings like Super Bowl Media Day on January 21. The Media Day Internet
offering will include on-demand coverage of the players and coaches from
the AFC and NFC Championship teams. Freeloaders will also get an NFL Films
Super Bowl video of the day and two-minute archived highlights from Super
Bowl I through XXXVI.

Real’s SuperPass has developed a niche with paid sports programming,
largely driven by deals with media outlets and content from pro and college
sports organizations like MLB.com, NBA.com and NASCAR.com.