YouTube to introduce live sports coverage

 

LONDON - Google is poised to become a powerhouse in live sports broadcasting after securing the rights to stream cricket's most lucrative annual tournament to a global audience online.

YouTube: secured the rights to stream IPL matches
YouTube: secured the rights to stream IPL matches

The brand's video-sharing website, YouTube, will show 60 matches from the Indian Premier League (IPL), which starts in March and will feature stars such as England players Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott.

YouTube wants to sign a global sponsor and multiple local backers as part of its strategy to make money from the coverage.

While BT is set to rival Sky by offering cut-price TV subscriptions to Premier League football and Ashes cricket, Google has, until now, remained dormant in the live-sports arena.

However, YouTube has been buoyed by the interest in a U2 concert it streamed live in October 2009, which attracted 10m viewers. Should the cricket broadcasts succeed, further deals are likely to follow.

YouTube is losing $470m a year, according to Credit Suisse, but its IPL tie and content deal with Channel 4 are likely to attract advertisers.

Bruce Daisley, Google UK's leader for YouTube and display, said: "We're keen to see how the community will take to live sport. There's a real interest in live events, so we're excited."

X

You must log in to use Clip & Save

 
 
 

All Comments

Iain Morrison

Iain Morrison - 19 January 2010

Adlandsuit'll never get any work done then...

 
Gareth Rees

Gareth Rees - 19 January 2010

An interesting and positive step from YouTube. Hopefully a successful and money making YouTube will encourage growth and subsequent advertiser investment across the whole of online video.

 
AwallafaShagba

AwallafaShagba - 19 January 2010

great news :)

 

Martin Leguay - 19 January 2010

Ladies and Gentlemen, I think the time has come for the internet to be available on TVs on mass, no more crappy interactive use-your-remote-as-a-mouse try outs! Watching live sports on a small youtube screen on a computer just won't do, particularly when the likes of 02 are doing 3D viewings at cinemas!

Jon Beeston

Jon Beeston - 19 January 2010

Yoube is losing $470m a year, surely, not a month? Even Google couldn't subsidise those kind of losses!

 
Amod Munga

Amod Munga - 19 January 2010

Great news. Let's hope it succeeds.

 
Andrew McCormick

Andrew McCormick - 19 January 2010

Jon - reports are saying that it is actually more like $470m a year. Some say its significantly less than that.

 
Pras Murukesvan

Pras Murukesvan - 19 January 2010

It a win-win solution for both parties - IPL will increase it's exposure by getting to territories that aren't covered by the tv deals which will make it an even more attractive proposition for the sponsors whilst Youtube will be able to add credence to it's online portal by testing the sports market. If it proves successful and the model works, then screening live football may not be too far away.

 
Simeon Stewart

Simeon Stewart - 19 January 2010

I think this is great news, I want to be able to watch sports live wherever I am in the world, something that's not nigh on impossible with the way things work presently. YouTube offers global reach and a massive audience, I'm just surprised this hasn't happened sooner.

 
Darren Davidson

Darren Davidson - 19 January 2010

Awsome!

 

Ed Lamb - 19 January 2010

Great news. I think you'll find Swann and Trott won't be taking part though, as no one bid for them at the auction.

krishnamurthi ramachandran - 19 January 2010

Very good and encouraging news from you tube website for getting rights to have live premier cricket series in Indian and In England.

Many cricket lovers,fans,sports persons,cricket players will whole heartedly welcome it.

I hope that,from you tube!s next move will be broadcasting latest,live webcasts on famous world tennis games.

I am a ardent fan for tennis game, and writer by comments to many sports channels.

Congratulations and best wishes to you tube and to Google management and its team.

martin media - 19 January 2010

The game changer for YouTube will be key live sports in relevant territories. So football in UK, rugby in France, cricket in India. And...that wont happen. Why? Rights owners want to sell these rights for billions \(latest Premier League rights costs Sky c£1bn over 3 years). YouTube CAN NOT make that kind of money via advertising....So then does it go pay? Place your bets.

Jimmy the Hat - 22 January 2010

YT are also offering movie rentals now. Limited titles and US-only for the moment but they are certainly testing how to monetise their \(huge) audience better.

Comments

 
 

Only registered users may comment. Sign in now or register for free.

 
 

Jobs

 
 

News By Email

Marketing Daily News : Preview
Ad Watch Bulletin : Preview
Marketing's Power 100
Future Marketing Leaders
Influencing the Influencers
 
 

  • F1 sponsors join global forces to enhance global deals