YouTube scores NBA deal
Do you dream about being the next Michael Jordan? You can have your basketball shot at clip-culture fame courtesy of the NBA and YouTube:
“Post Up the NBA” debuts on the new “NBA Channel” on YouTube to “provide fans around the world and the entire YouTube community with the opportunity to submit video clips of their best basketball moves, and access original NBA content (select plays and behind-the-scenes video highlights from NBA.com) throughout the remainder of the 2006-07 NBA season.
NBA fans are encouraged to upload their “best moves” and rate other videos posted by fans. The top “Post Up the NBA” videos submitted will be selected and compiled into a special weekly highlight reel “NBA Top 10 on YouTube” that will be featured on the “NBA Channel.”
Google CEO Eric Schmidt is a basketball fan himself:
The NBA consistently delivers some of the most exciting content in all of sports. We are thrilled to partner with the NBA to give them access to an amazing platform to further engage their fans around the world.
The NBA is also participating in a Google test to syndicate video content across its AdSense network.
The NBA apparently may now be entitled to “take advantage” of YouTube’s “Claim Your Content” identification and reporting system for user uploaded videos, described as "allowing the league to identify its copyrighted content." The NBA will have the option to remove content from YouTube or share in the advertising revenue generated, if any, according to YouTube.
A copyright identification program for "approved" YouTube content partners was promised for December 2006; The program does not seem to have materialized, however.