Creativity + Fans x Love = Money

Recently I wrote about the News and Observer’s use of YouTube video on their blog of a Duke game on ESPN. I think its very cool and hope more MSM websites adopt this practice. But my ruminations deal with the legality of this practice among for-profit business. Especially when copyright owners, like university athletic programs, don’t allow fans to take video of their events. I think the differentiation between broadcast video and fan video needs to disappear. At least from a promotion standpoint. i.e. When a fan makes a video of an event they do it out of love not profit. That passion translates into good free event promotion.

Let fans share video and pictures they take of college sports. Encourage it even. You’ll be glad you did later.

Here are a few of my comments on Ed Cone’s blog when this issue was brought up in December 2005. Please read this blog post by Ed Cone for more context.

Dec 19, 2005
(1) “They should encourage fan videos and pics then give them a place to share it…If UNC and the ACC can’t understand this now they’ll have some hard lessons to learn about new media in the near future. The number of these small video cameras will only increase plus younger fans will EXPECT to be able to use them. Banning them would create bad publicity, FAST.”

Dec 19, 2005
(2) “I think it’s important to point out that Ed’s video or others like it aren’t a replacement for real TV coverage. Nor are they ANY real financial threat. I love watching college basketball and wouldn’t watch little vids instead of a higher rez version. These small vids are viral advertisements. A type of social activity that basketball fans, young and old, can enjoy. When you give a community (ie ACC basketball fans) a common activity that layers on top of another (ie following the tar heels) you have a very strong synergy. Creativity + fans x love = money.”

Hat Tip to Ed for the link .