IPL on Youtube (for free?)

mike65

click

I've ammended the title cos on reflection I'm not certain about its "freeness" Can youtube do subs from a technical POV?

YouTube has confirmed its first live major sporting deal, announcing today that it will host live Indian Premier League cricket matches in the UK, and casting into doubt the value of British TV broadcast rights.

The YouTube deal involves every country outside the US – asignificantly larger scope than reports had suggested. It was thought that YouTube would only stream live matches to countries that did not have TV deals with the IPL.

The two-year deal gives the Google-owned YouTube the exclusive rights to stream IPL matches online, with the two companies splitting revenue from sponsorship and advertising.

In the UK broadcast rights were held by Setanta, which closed last year, and have yet to be sold on. A spokesman for the IPL said that a TV rights deal for the UK would go ahead. "The dedicated loyal fanbase will still want to watch on TV," he said.

d'Oracle

That. Is. Awesome.

Edit: WAIT, wait. Will Youtube ireland get it?

ASTRACLUB

woo hoo, i will be the first person to say bye setanta if you tube is free stream for matches!

kryogen

this would be great news!

SD7792

Didn't the IPL website show some of the games free last year for certain countries? But since Setanta had the contract for UK/Ireland we weren't allowed see it. Fingers crossed we'll be able to see it for free :rolleyes:

reb73

Extracts from Cricinfo

The agreement gives Google exclusive online rights for IPL content for two years, with both parties sharing revenues from sponsorships and advertising. The press release does not specify whether the service will be on a subscription basis - content on YouTube is largely free to watch - but Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, indicated in a media interview that it would be free.

"This changes the world of sports broadcasting. The internet has changed the lives of everyone and this will do the same for sport," Modi told the Daily Telegraph. "We are now taking our event truly global for the first time. Google gives us access to 500 million pairs of eyes every single moment of the day. There are a few countries where the feed will be near as live which means there will be a delay of only a few minutes, but most places will be able to see live streaming of the action.

"We do not have a live feed in the UK. People in the UK keep asking me why they can't see it. Now if they have a broadband connection they can get it for free. It is about broadening the fan base, after that everything follows," Modi said.

D3PO

the best thing about this is not that its free but that I can watch it in work :D

woot

reb73

Apparently the URL is http://www.youtube.com/IPL

Source : Here

storybud1

happy days..i do like cricket!!!!!!!!!

An Tarbh

Is there any news on a broadcast deal for the UK and Ireland. I know it's live on youtube but unless the stream is of the same quality as the HD stream that's being done on the EBU website for the Winter Olympics then I'm not really interested in youtube.

With the youtube deal, broadcasters should be able to pick up the rights much cheaper now.

d'Oracle

The video quality on the youtube channel looks great.