Purpose

NBL administers its own cloud distributed live streaming platform. Any and all live billiard streaming productions are encouraged to leverage the platform. It will ensure the following:

  • Uniform streamed content
  • Collateralize web traffic
  • Structured monetizing
  • Career incentives
  • Solicitation and negotiation of sponsorship
  • Compensation

Debate

  • Why not stream directly to Facebook or YouTube?
    • The NBL is not in operation to win popularity contests. It has been determined by the NBL Executive Board Members that Facebook, YouTube, and other social media destinations will not be used exclusively.
    • The NBL in most cases will use social media as a tool to increase web traffic to NBL products, services, and affiliates.
    • Social media will be used conspicuously to ensure NBL products, services, and affiliates are the root source of metrics and analytics. (Very important!)
  • Why can’t I ask for donations streaming NBL sanctioned matches to the NBL streaming platform?
    • The NBL is an organization for profit.
    • Direct compensation for live streams or recordings of NBL sanctioned matches are provided automatically.
  • I don’t want people to pay to view live billiard streams or videos.
    • The NBL streaming platform will enable more features that will give friends, family, and fans of the game and sport an opportunity to view live or recorded content free of charge.
    • A misconception of live billiard streams or videos being free, even if viewable for free, doesn’t constitute that it’s free to produce or deliver.
    • A long term goal of the NBL is to grow large audiences while administering the delivery, hosting, and metrics. When this goal is realized will relax pay to view circumstances, where being able to use NBL’s own analytics and metrics as collateral to attract larger sponsorship, will in turn satisfy the cost NBL’s streaming platform.

Requirement

If you’re enthusiastic about presenting your knowledge about the game and sport of billiards in the United States, have live streaming experience and want to have an opportunity streaming and or recording NBL sanctioned matches? Please familiarize yourself with the requirements below:

  • An existing billiard streaming portfolio
  • Intel i7 or better computer w/ dedicated graphics if possible (laptop preferred)
  • Knowledge with OBS, Xsplit, Wirecast streaming software
  • Soundboard with broadcasting headsets or studio microphones
  • In compliance with all copyright law
  • Agree to NBL Terms of Service and Copyright Statement
  • Relinquish any and all intellectual property rights to the NBL
  • Be able to furnish an IRS form W9 for non-employee compensation

Compensation

With the NBL concentrating live streaming efforts enabling a customized platform for the game and sport of billiards, compensation can be a reality for all who are involved in the live billiard streaming production process observing the following:

  • Cascading affiliate video link referral system will be used
  • Must agree to the NBL Video Commission Service agreement (VCS)
  • Recorded material must reside at www.nblusa.com
  • Compensation can vary based upon the following factors:
    • Location has stake in the stream
    • More than 2 players in the recorded match
    • Solicited commentary by a guest or former professional
    • Unsuspected lien by 3rd party copyright
    • Any unknown or unforeseen circumstance
    • NBL Executives have sole authority over a what is deemed fair compensation
  • A free streaming platform of your own
    • when creating live or recorded streams away from the NBL
    • dedicated video platform exclusive attached to any domain on the web
    • unlimited web hosting and video cloud storage
    • 24/7 technical support
    • 80% compensation rate

Permitted Actions

The NBL takes very seriously the primary compensation of video creators and providers of sanctioned video assets. Below are permitted actions that can be taken into consideration to offset relinquishing intellectual property rights providing live or recorded sanctioned video to the NBL:

  • Your sponsors are truly yours
    • The NBL will never interfere with or ask for compensation from your accredited sponsors or advertisers.
    • It is encouraged to leverage the NBL in the solicitation of industry sponsorship provided they are deployed in accordance with the NBL streaming guidelines.
    • Any current official sponsor or advertiser of the NBL must be only deployed in accordance with the NBL streaming guidelines. A streaming template and overlay will be provided. Video commercials can also be provided depending on your level of streaming and/or production experience.
  • Simulcasting to be automatically performed
    • Live streams destined for NBL media servers will duplicated automatically to NBL social media destinations. NBL Facebook Page, NBL Facebook Group Page, NBL on YouTube, NBL on Twitch, and/or NBL on Twitter.
    • Video of live streams or recordings duplicated abroad will only be viewable at minimum standard resolution of 426x240p @ 150kbit/s.
    • Audio of live streams or recordings duplicated abroad will contain a verbal audio loop of 1 minute, with a 9 minute pause and then repeat. In highly experienced and knowledgeable circumstances, a commentary audio channel can be sent provided it is void of any background noise (a completely sound proof booth is available)
    • NBL is in complete understanding of music performers and songwriter copyright restrictions and guidelines.

Prohibited Actions

It is mission critical that these prohibited actions are adhered to. The NBL reserves the right to revoke compensation to any recipient of revenues procured through the NBL streaming platform by offending the following:

  • Accepting or soliciting donations before, during, or after producing any NBL sanctioned match for the exclusive use by the NBL.
  • Duplicating and/or simulcasting a live broadcast or recording to an unapproved destination
  • Engaged in any illegal activity such as:
    • Booking or Gambling without a state or federal approved gambling license
    • Raffles or Sweepstakes of any kind whether legal or not
    • Political Propaganda
  • Hate Speech or Racism will never be tolerated
  • Any unapproved artwork or streaming template overlay
  • Soliciting an unapproved back link to a live or recorded stream away from the NBL streaming platform or NBL social media destinations.