Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports Digital Team-Up

In the world of sports it’s more common to see some team rivalry than to see team-ups, but that’s just what SI.com and NBCsports.com have done. They’ve signed a content publishing agreement to strengthen the NBC broadband play, and drive more readers to SI.com at the same time. They’re touting it as an opportunity for advertisers to leverage cross-platform, multi-media buys across the NBC Sports and Sports Illustrated franchises.

As part of the deal, SI.com will point viewers at NBCSports.com broadband segments featuring breaking news and content, while NBCSports.com will produce SI writer broadband segments and point its viewers toward SI.com for writer analysis & commentary.

For a traditionally text and photo based sports publication to team up with a long time television provider, with their online divisions at least, would seem to be a winning combination of talent. Of course, you can pick your own sports metaphor about how “it’s not over till the fat lady sings” or “it’s going, going, gone” about the deal being a homerun or a pop-fly. The final score will tell, as always.