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X expands its ‘Gametime’ sports hub beyond the NFL, starting with MLB
X is expanding its 'Gametime' sports hub beyond just the NFL. Starting with MLB, it aims to create a year-round destination for all major professional sports, attracting brands and advertisers by leveraging live sports and fan engagement. This move comes amidst X's efforts to recover from previous advertiser concerns over content moderation and Elon Musk's controversial presence on the platform.
Key points
- X's Gametime feature, initially focused on the NFL, is being expanded to include MLB as part of a broader strategy to cover all professional sports.
- The new MLB experience will enhance fan engagement through scores, stats, and real-time discussions during postseason play.
- The expansion aims to regain advertisers by capitalizing on the high engagement levels of sports fans.
- This move follows a legal settlement with the WFA aimed at improving advertising relationships after concerns over content moderation.
- Advertisers from various sectors are showing interest due to the evolving nature of the Gametime platform, suggesting its scalability across sports.
Why it matters
- The trend of social media platforms integrating live sports content continues to grow, reflecting demands from fans for real-time engagement.
- Historically, platforms have struggled with advertiser confidence, especially after controversial leadership, mirroring events like Facebook's ongoing challenges.
- With the rise of digital advertising in sports, significant investments by brands in sports-related content on social media are anticipated to increase further by 2025.
X's expansion of the Gametime feature marks a significant step in leveraging sports content for improved advertiser engagement, signaling potential revitalization of its advertising ecosystem amidst past challenges.