Speaker
Description
Digital platforms, especially the expansion of over-the-top (OTT) platforms and online video streaming services, are changing the sport media around the world in recent years. Global online media and streaming platforms, such as Eleven Sports, Line TV, Twitch, have reshaped Taiwanese sport media. Based on in-depth interviews with managers in local sport and media industries, this paper is aimed at: (1) illustrating the transformations of sport/media complex in Taiwan within global digital platforms context; (2) examining not only challenges but also chances for local sport and media industries in the platform era. On the one hand, the relatively lower cost for online live coverage provides new possibilities to local leagues to access fans and generate a certain amount of income. For example, the Chinese Professional Baseball League (Taiwan) launched the CPBL TV as a pay channel in 2022 on Hami Video, a local OTT. The P. League+, a local professional basketball league, established a channel on YouTube in 2021. On the other hand, transnational media and online streaming services have become the dominant players for sports rights in Taiwan while local televisions were reluctant to invest in sports broadcasting due to the escalating rights fee of major sporting events. Meanwhile, many local sports or niche events that are unprofitable for commercial media have become more difficult to be seen by audiences and thus cultural citizenship is at stake.
