If CBS can get the NFL's blessing, next year's Super Bowl will be the first ever streamed over the Internet.
The NFL isn't against the idea of streaming; last year, the organization partnered with NBC to put 17 games online and claimed the experiment a success. Instead of robbing from TV audiences, 80 percent of viewers watched simultaneously on television and online to get multiple camera angles (kind of like how MLB.tv is adopting a similar strategy with attractive online features). An NFL executive told BusinessWeek that the league is open to the idea of streaming, but hasn't made a decision yet.
BusinessWeek reported this bit of news in a larger -- and in itself interesting -- article on CBS's success with online streaming. It notes how the network is raking in the profits with its online offerings, even as entertainment TV websites such as Hulu are shedding money. March Madness alone brought in ad revenues of $30 million.
That could be explained by the inherent nature of televised sports. Fans don't want to watch a tape-delayed game, and they already regard commercials as par for the course (oh yes, pun) during timeouts and other breaks, so they'll watch the ads with little or no contempt.
Fandom also plays a big role, and might explain why some people will even pay to watch content online. That's happening now with MLB.tv, and ESPN said it likely turned a profit from the content it streamed online, because the network had already paid licensing fees.
It's good to hear that a media giant is having success with easily-accessible online streaming. It also makes NBC's decision to restrict online 2010 Olympics coverage seem that much more misguided by comparison.
