Time Inc., Major League Baseball Back Online Sports Network 120 Sports

The NFL recently announced its plan to launch NFL Now, a customizable streaming service featuring everything but the games themselves. Now, other leagues are following suit. Time Inc. and Major League Baseball are backers of 120 Sports, a 24-hour online sports network that will feature content from many top leagues.

120 Sports will feature two minute highlight, analysis, and interview segments, which will come together to form around-the-clock streaming platform for sports fans. This format is reminiscent of the short video clips that make up ESPN’s video library; the main difference is that ESPN also offers live streaming footage through its ESPN3 app, while 120 Sports will not offer any live footage.

Obviously, since the NFL is building its own video app, it will not be involved in 120 Sports. However, many other prominent American sports leagues will provide content for the service, including MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, and several college sports. Time Inc. subsidiary Sports Illustrated

will also use the platform as a web video home.

“120 Sports is an innovative, addictive product that will give sports fans an amazing amount of always-on sports content and great technology so they can engage with news and highlights wherever they are,” said Time Inc. EVP Todd Larsen in a statement. “The product will offer Sports Illustrated fans a terrific complement to our editorial coverage, and as a business partner Time Inc. will have a stake in an enterprise with tremendous promise.”

It is risky to build a sports video platform that will be unable to offer any live games, but there is still demand for a service such as 120 Sports. Some leagues still offer inconsistent on-demand web video, and 120 Sports has the potential to help usher those companies into the 21st century.