Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Baylor Football: Facebook to air Bears game at UTSA

By Matthew Bartlett

FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 24: Charlie Brewer #12 of the Baylor Bears looks for an open receiver against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first half at Amon G. Carter Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 24: Charlie Brewer #12 of the Baylor Bears looks for an open receiver against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first half at Amon G. Carter Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

When Baylor football hits the road on Sep. 8 their fans wont find the Bears on TV. That’s because their game against UTSA will be streamed exclusively on Facebook.

Social media has become a pervasive aspect of today’s culture. The bulk of the people reading this story likely came across it for the first time as they were scrolling through one of their many news feeds.

Baylor fans will find more than just news on social media this coming season. The Bears are set to become the first Power 5 college football team to have one of their games aired exclusively on Facebook. Their Sep. 8 road game at UTSA won’t be aired on any traditional media sources. Fans that want to watch it are going to have to open their computer or smartphone and log in.

Twitter, Amazon and Facebook have all made forays into the sports broadcasting space. Thursday Night Football, the MLB and various other college sports have all experimented with the digital jump. If his recent endeavor by Facebook is any indicator, there could be more streaming opportunities in the future.

Change isn’t popular. The reaction to this news on social media has had plenty of detractors. In this case, change is good. Facebook and other social media platforms allow opportunities for fans to engage with the game in real time. The online chat room has been dialed in to a small universe focused solely on one thing: college football.

Next: Building the best college football super team

It’s different, yes. Most people will pick up their remote instinctively on Sep. 8. But give social media streaming a chance. The convenience and the accessibility are precursors of what could be an exciting digital age for sports in the near future. Like it or not, Facebook has become part of the fabric of our society. We might as well get the best out of it.

Home/Baylor Bears