The NFL Goes FAST: Driving Fan Engagement Beyond Game Day
The NFL Goes FAST: Driving Fan Engagement Beyond Game Day
As the most popular sport in the U.S., the NFL captivates fans across digital streaming platforms year-round. Hear from NFL Media’s Matt Lathrop and Jonathan Vu at the 2025 OTT.X Summit to explore how the NFL Channel is expanding the league’s digital footprint, setting industry-wide trends, and creating new opportunities for advertisers, distribution partners, and content creators.
At the 2025 OTT.X Summit, the NFL shared an inside look at how it’s redefining year-round fan engagement through the NFL Channel on FAST. This session explored the league’s evolving digital strategy, the growth of always-on football programming, and the new opportunities emerging for advertisers, platforms, and distribution partners across the streaming ecosystem.
Speakers
- Matt Lathrop, Senior Director, Audience Development, NFL Media
- Jonathan Vu, Director of Product – Ad Products & Technology, FAST, NFL Media
Coming out of Thanksgiving, the long weekend is often measured in leftovers, family group texts, and hours of football consumed. The NFL is now channeling that same fan energy and the growing demand for always-on gridiron content into a FAST experience built to keep viewers engaged long after the final whistle.
At the 2025 OTT.X Summit, NFL leaders walked attendees through how the NFL Channel is transforming America’s favorite sport into a 24/7, year-round FAST destination.
The NFL’s FAST Playbook
- FAST is the NFL’s “Front Porch”
The NFL Channel isn’t meant to replace live game windows or premium products like NFL Network and NFL+. It’s a discovery and engagement layer — a place where fans can casually drop in, sample highlights, classic games, and original shows, then be guided deeper into the NFL ecosystem. - 600+ Hours of Content
The NFL’s FAST presence started in 2019 with one partner and about 400 hours of library and classic games. By 2025, it has scaled to 600+ hours of original content, 12 hours of live programming on game days, and robust weekday/off-season blocks. - Game Center keeps Sundays sticky
Game Center is the NFL’s answer to “What if I’m not watching a full live game?” It’s a live production environment layered with scores, Next Gen Stats, social reactions, and trivia — ideal as a secondary screen or even a primary lean-back destination on Sundays. - The “L-Bar” Makes FAST Feel Alive and Monetizable
A persistent lower bar, the "L-Bar" carries live stats, fantasy info, trivia, promos, and branded takeovers. After launch, the NFL saw an immediate increase in time spent on the channel, proving that a dynamic visual layer keeps viewers engaged and creates premium sponsorship real estate. - Engagement is 365 days, Not 17 Weeks
The NFL uses FAST to extend engagement beyond game day and beyond the season — building around tentpole events (Super Bowl, Combine, Draft, schedule release) and cultural moments, plus milestones, birthdays, and historical anniversaries.
Inside the Weekly FAST Programming Grid
The NFL shared a snapshot of how it programs the channel across a typical week to keep fans engaged every day:
- Sunday
- Game Day Preview
- Game Center live coverage across the slate of games
- Full game recaps for every matchup
- Monday
- Morning recap programming focused on Sunday’s action
- Monday Night Football preview
- Additional Game Center coverage
- Tuesday
- Weekly “bookend” shows: power rankings, top plays, storylines
- Prime-time full game replay from Sunday or Monday
- Wednesday
- “Look ahead” content tied to upcoming matchups
- Classic games and moments aligned with key storylines (e.g., rivalry histories, star player flashbacks)
- Thursday
- Game day coverage again, leading into Thursday Night Football
- Shoulder programming and preview content
- Friday
- Weekend prep: NFL Daily, fantasy-focused shows, injury updates, and narrative framing for Sunday
- Saturday
- Replay of the previous Sunday’s RedZone — positioned as highly compelling, passive viewing and a sampler for fans who haven’t experienced it live
Why It Matters for FAST, Streaming, and Partners
- Sports can win on FAST without live game rights by leaning into shoulder content, highlights, and explainers that extend the fan experience.
- Presentation and data are differentiators, not afterthoughts — elements like Game Center and the L Bar turn a simple linear feed into a dynamic product with measurable performance.
- FAST is a gateway for advertisers and distribution partners to align with the NFL’s brand and fan passion, even outside exclusive live game windows.
- Year-round programming is the real prize: just as Thanksgiving kicks off a stretch of wall-to-wall football viewing, FAST lets that ritual continue in a lighter, always-on form the other 11 months of the year.
The NFL’s expansion into FAST isn’t just another distribution play, it’s a redefinition of how fans connect with the sport beyond the live broadcast window. By pairing a rich programming slate with real-time data layers, interactive elements, and year-round storytelling, the NFL Channel transforms FAST into a dynamic front door to the league’s broader ecosystem. For advertisers, platforms, and viewers alike, the result is a more accessible, more engaging, and more continuous football experience — one that mirrors the way fans already live the sport, from Thanksgiving weekend through every moment of the year.
Learn more about the industry leading executives that will be joined "The NFL Goes FAST: Driving Fan Engagement Beyond Game Day"
Matt Lathrop
Senior Director, Audience Development, NFL Media
With two decades of experience in sports & entertainment, Matt oversees content development and distribution across NFL platforms, with a key focus on implementing audience growth strategies for FAST, YouTube, Creator Partnerships, and the NFL Podcast Network.
Known for his passion for innovation, Matt is dedicated to finding new ways for technology to bring fans closer to the game and expand NFL fandom around the globe.
Jonathan Vu
Director of Product – Ad Products & Technology, FAST, NFL Media
With extensive experience in product and technology management, Jonathan has played a pivotal role in shaping innovative advancements in FAST technologies and ad strategies across the NFL's digital platforms including the award winning NFL Channel. A results-driven professional, Jonathan combines his expertise in product management and data analytics with a deep understanding of the evolving digital media landscape, particularly in advertising and streaming technologies.
Throughout his career, Jonathan has contributed to the development of cutting-edge products that optimize viewer engagement and drive revenue growth within the FAST space, ensuring the NFL stays at the forefront of the rapidly evolving digital and ad tech spaces.
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