TNT Sports will debut a new way to watch the NBA playoffs on Wednesday night, followed by another experiment for NHL fans on Thursday, as the broadcaster continues to explore the possibility of alternative viewing options.
centered around the NBA Western Conference Finals OrtcastThe show, which airs on truTV and streams on Max, features Vince Carter, Adam Lefkow, Chris Haynes, as well as Jordan Cornette and Bomani Jones in a chat-based show that also uses QR code technology. and allows fans to interact with the host. TNT Sports” Bleacher Report App. The show will air during each game of the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Dallas Mavericks series and will include numerous guest appearances.
Thursday brings first results NHL Datacast The same network covers the game between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars. Broadcaster Steve Mears, former NHL player Colby Armstrong, and analytics expert Mike Kelley analyzed a variety of topics, including faceoff win probability, real-time shift length, and “ice tilt” momentum numbers. Use statistics to call games.
“We looked at the possibilities of data and how we could integrate that data in real time, and we started to feel like, wow, this is a very interesting service for a very hardcore fan base,” Turner Sports said. said Craig, Chief Content Officer. Barry said. “The great thing about altcasting is that you can experiment. … It's a great sandbox to play in.”
The show follows a number of altcast tests by TNT and others, often falling into the “chatty” category (as in, chat). Peyton and Eli on Monday Night Football, which won a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Live Series on Tuesday) or 'stat' (for example, Amazon's Next Generation Stats Feed helped the company win an Emmy for Outstanding Interactive Experience). Another of his popular altcast genres is kids, from his NFL coverage on Nickelodeon to his recent truTV/Max presentation of NHL games featuring characters from Bugs and the Bunny to Superman. This is the version for.
In general, a show's ratings rarely increase significantly, often reaching around 10% of the total. But Barry said the network (and its league partners) sees value in attracting growing viewers. The show also increases branding opportunities. AWS is NHL Datacastwhile AT&T signed on for NBA altcast. ESPN brought back Kevin Hart for its own coverage of Tuesday's Pacers-Celtics game on ESPN2, sponsored by Microsoft Copilot.
At best, programs can survive beyond the live window. TNT saw that when Charles Barkley and Draymond Green's rant at this year's All-Star Game went viral, racking up nearly 1 million views on YouTube.
When your presentation offers a friendly, casual atmosphere sprinkled with unparalleled insight, you can attract a wide audience, including those who may tune in throughout the night.
“I think it's going to be a smart thing for casual fans to watch, and I think it's going to be a very appealing thing for hardcore fans to interact with,” Barry said of the NBA offering. “I think depending on the type of fan you are, you can get something different out of it.”
Barry added that the company has been particularly focused on alternative interactive opportunities as Max's footprint expands. Warner Bros. Discovery Sports will add a Bleacher Report Sports tier to its streaming service in September and eventually charge extra for access to live events. Fans watching via Max will still have the option to watch traditional broadcasts featuring Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, Stan Van Gundy and Allie LaForce.
Social media has long played a role in TNT shows such as: Inside the NBAHowever, the new settings provide even more comment and question functionality.
“When you sell direct to consumer, you're trying to create a more dynamic experience because you have a more direct relationship with your fans,” Barry said. “We think the platform lends itself better to multiple concurrent experiences than a traditional set-top box.”
