NHL Partners With MLBAM, Won't Take Away Our Vines, GIFs and YouTube Videos!

When rumors started flying yesterday about the NHL partnering with MLB Advanced Media, I got nervous, I mean really nervous.
You see, MLB Advanced Media is the best at what it does, MLB.com is sleek and fast, highlights are readily available, MLB Network program keeps getting better and better. As NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in today’s press release, this is a major win for NHL.com, NHL Network and hockey fans everywhere.
“As the market leader, MLBAM is uniquely qualified to assist us in giving hockey fans a richer, more immersive experience with the game,” Bettman. “MLBAM is also the right partner because they have the expertise to help us deliver new and exciting products to our fans, who crave compelling digital content.”
But you see, there is one major problem MLB Advanced Media. They take their copyrights seriously. Like, really seriously. The only place you can see quality video of MLB Highlights is on MLB.com or the MLB YouTube Channel. That means less baseball content for baseball fans craving baseball content.
Fortunately, this new 6 year digital media rights partnership will not impact your upload and find Islanders highlights/moments on the world wide web.
Your GIFs, Your Vines, Your YouTube Videos, all your hard work at trying to go viral is here to stay!
From Allan Mur’s story in SI.com
“What we should not see is a clamping down on the cottage industry of YouTube videos and instant GIFs posted to social media. MLB has silenced these as a contravention of its copyrights, but the NHL has allowed them to exist because it recognizes the value they have in advancing conversation about the sport. Since the NHL—and not MLBAM—will continue to have control over that decision, no one involved in the production of these video hits should expect a cease-and-desist letter any time soon.”
So go home tonight and search for the Islanders-Penguins Brawl from 2009, Stan Fischler interviews with Darius Kasparitis and watch Travis Green kiss Ziggy Palffy after a goal.  It’s not going anywhere.

Follow Joe Buono on Twitter HERE