Internet Video

Internet Video

So the NBA season has just begun, and i've signed up for their "League Pass" which for US$135 a season lets you watch every game live (and then archived) on your computer (which you can play on your tv), and on your ipad, mobile etc. All in HD, all with stats, jump to highlights and the ability to watch 4 games at once. In a word it's brilliant.

The point of this is that it got me thinking how great something similar would be for the a-league. I know there are major hurdles like existing broadcasting agreements with fox sports, sky and whoever else has their finger in the pie but I think it's ridiculous that the best source of game highlights is some guy on youtube who has nothing to do with the FFA whatsoever.

I very much doubt having ondemand internet video of every a-league game live and archived along with highlight shows, plays of the week, previews etc would make people go to games less, if anything it would increase the profile, following and accessibility of the a-league and get fans more involved. The fee for the season would earn them some extra revenue, quite a lot if they marketed it correctly and if a league as big as the NBA can see the benefit then the model must work in theory.

The future of watching sport is here, as usual the yanks have got it by the balls and it's time NZ and AUS caught up. iSky looks like it'll be something very similar, but having a dedicated portal for competitions like the a-league seems like the best way to pull it off without it getting lost with all the other noise in sportland.

Yours please.

Oh and re: sh*te internet speeds in NZ, I can't watch in HD (3,000 kbps) without waiting for it to load but 800 works just fine on my sh*tty Auckland connection. I know Wellington's testra clear cable network is far better.

I used to watch this way in Korea- got put on to it by SC03. would love to be able to watch A league this way in NZ. It's geoblocked here.

Id actually be interested in something like that.

The problem thats held me back: doesnt it use up bandwidth? So costs you more than what you pay to subscribe.

I know ISky is going to have a deal with broadband providers in NZ so that this isnt an issue,however I doubt thats the case with any american sports. Sadly.

I used to have access to the MLS equivalent. Also had lots of added material like interviews and such. Differentiated it a bit from IraqGoals.

Yep and that's the last hurdle really, as soon as broadband in NZ and AUS (who are way ahead of us) becomes "unlimited" then the issue goes away and opens up a whole new range of opportunities around internet video.

I love what Sky have done with iSky and props to them for having the vision and getting some of the telcos onside from the start. I've signed up for it and it'll be interesting to see how much a-league coverage is on there.

I still think this is the FFA's chance to really push the profile of the a-league.

I would happily pay up to $100 a year to watch all the Nix games on good quality, totally legal intarwebz.

Yeah I reckon $100 is a decent price point, I know i'd be happy to pay that for ALL the a-league games live and archived.