SBNation, the sports blog network, has formed a partnership with YouTube to create a sports channel which could eventually rival ESPN.
YouTube, which has recently begun to expand their programming, is promising celebrities and original content within the coming months, hoping to become the next big cable provider without the cable part.
In October the company blog announced, “Today we’re announcing that even more talented creators and original entertainment will soon join YouTube’s existing channel lineup, including channels created by well-known personalities and content producers from the TV, film, music, news, and sports fields, as well as some of the most innovative up-and-coming media companies in the world and some of YouTube’s own existing partners. These channels will have something for everyone, whether you’re a mom, a comedy fan, a sports nut, a music lover or a pop-culture maven.”
The addition of a sports channel could be a huge booster for the website, making it a competitor not only for ESPN but for sites like Yahoo! Sports. So far only six programs have been secured on the channel, but it is in the early stages of development. It will be interesting to see what more they have in store for viewers. As reported earlier this year, Yahoo! added an online magazine feature recently called ThePostGame, and it’s probably a safe bet that SBNation will want to add something similar to their lineup.
Below is a video from the show “Shutdown Fullback”, a college football show that has already garnered favorable reviews and comments from viewers.
SBNation’s Senior Correspondent Amy K. Nelson had this to say about the partnership: “SB Nation’s YouTube Channel provides our talent and community a platform for even richer commentary, analysis, reporting and storytelling. We are going to take maximum advantage of this opportunity by expanding the range of content we produce on a regular basis for sports fans around the globe. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious but always different than your standard sports TV fare.”