Twitter to livestream Europe's football deadline day coverage

In a bid to make it tough for rival social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, Twitter has announced its first livestreaming deal in Europe to will telecast the proceedings of the transfer deadline day.

The San Francisco-based microblogging platform linked up with Sky Sports in Britain to livestream coverage of Tuesday's transfer deadline day, when the January window for football transfers closes, The Financial Times reported.

Although, the details regarding the deal were not available, it was seen as a mutually beneficial partnership, with the series of three live broadcasts following similar tie-ups to stream gridiron football and the PGA golf tour in the US.

"Deadline day is a huge date in the diary for everyone who loves football. Every window, we strive to find new ways for fans to follow our coverage and deliver the stories in a way that suits their busy lives," Andy Cairns, Sky Sports News executive editor, was quoted as saying.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Sky Sports to give fans everywhere another way to watch and discuss the day's top rumours and deals as they unfold live, all on Twitter," added Twitter's chief operating officer Anthony Noto.

Last year, Twitter streamed NFL with 2.1 million viewers in the first game. The numbers grew by 34 per cent for the second game, compared with TV audiences of 17.5 million and 48.1 million for the same games.

In January, Twitter beat Facebook to livestream more than 70 hours of the PGA golf tour.

--IANS

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