NFL relaxes social media policy, allowing teams to share more

The NFL has dialed back its strict and hugely unpopular social media policy that effectively banned the sharing of any highlights during games.

According to a memo obtained by Yahoo Finance, NFL teams will now be allowed to share “nonhighlight” clips during games. Previously, teams couldn’t share any clips from games and a handful — including the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles — seemed to openly mock the policy with highlights recreated with electric football games.

Now clips from games can be shared, although actual footage from a play still cannot be. But that’s lax enough to allow content that shows halftime ceremonies, cheerleaders, mascots, fans, and player celebrations.

The door is open for teams to be more creative and produce their own GIFs for sharing, which was previously banned. Also, the amount of videos that can be shared per day has been doubled from eight to 16.

The NFL’s reformed social media policy came in October amid concerns about the league’s television ratings. Since the conclusion of the U.S. presidential election, ratings have surged with some record-setting games (thanks, in part, to the quality of the Dallas Cowboys).

With the internet continuing to raise the possibility that the NFL’s best moments can be sliced, diced and shared at the expense of the league, adjustments are likely to continue to be made. The league is trying to get the most out of social media without disincentivizing fans from tuning in to watch themselves.

For now, the updated policy to allow for more sharing will likely be celebrated by fans and NFL teams alike.