iTunes gets NHL Playoffs, exclusive NBC content
Both the National Hockey League and NBC News this week revealed plans to bring new content to Apple Computer's ubiquitous iTunes Music Store.
The NHL announced an initiative to offer hockey fans in the United States the opportunity to purchase and download 2006 Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final game recaps.
The iTunes Music Store is offering a "Season Pass" for each Stanley Cup Playoff series for $4.99. It includes 15-20 minutes of expanded highlights of each game in the Eastern or the Western Conference Finals or the Stanley Cup Final.Â*
For $1.99 a pop, fans can download expanded highlights on an individual game basis.
"In addition to being the most passionate fans in sports, hockey fans love using the newest technology to connect with their NHL," said Doug Perlman, NHL Executive Vice President of Media. "Our deal with Apple will enable our fans to download and re-live the most exciting action in professional sports -- the Stanley Cup Playoffs."
Members of the Stanley Cup Final teams will also post to iTunes their personal playlists.
Meanwhile, NBC News on Thursday said it'll expand its iTunes offerings to include a collection of video news and documentary programming.
The shows will include news and documentary programs and "great television moments" from NBC News. The network will also debut a series of new programs produced especially for iTunes.
The NHL announced an initiative to offer hockey fans in the United States the opportunity to purchase and download 2006 Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final game recaps.
The iTunes Music Store is offering a "Season Pass" for each Stanley Cup Playoff series for $4.99. It includes 15-20 minutes of expanded highlights of each game in the Eastern or the Western Conference Finals or the Stanley Cup Final.Â*
For $1.99 a pop, fans can download expanded highlights on an individual game basis.
"In addition to being the most passionate fans in sports, hockey fans love using the newest technology to connect with their NHL," said Doug Perlman, NHL Executive Vice President of Media. "Our deal with Apple will enable our fans to download and re-live the most exciting action in professional sports -- the Stanley Cup Playoffs."
Members of the Stanley Cup Final teams will also post to iTunes their personal playlists.
Meanwhile, NBC News on Thursday said it'll expand its iTunes offerings to include a collection of video news and documentary programming.
The shows will include news and documentary programs and "great television moments" from NBC News. The network will also debut a series of new programs produced especially for iTunes.
Comments
Originally posted by AppleInsider
"In addition to being the most passionate fans in sports, ..." said Doug Perlman, NHL Executive Vice President of Media.
Methinks Doug needs to take a look across the pond. Last time I remember, hockey fans weren't pulling some of the antics that European football fans were doing.
MANCHESTER SUCKS!
*dons flame-resistant suit and ducks for cover*
Originally posted by CosmoNut
Methinks Doug needs to take a look across the pond. Last time I remember, hockey fans weren't pulling some of the antics that European football fans were doing.
That's probably because the average IQ of a hockey fan is *over* 80. Mob mentality has a harder time taking hold.
Come on, you know that's the only reasonable explanation for the fan riots...
Originally posted by Kickaha
That's probably because the average IQ of a hockey fan is *over* 80. Mob mentality has a harder time taking hold.
Come on, you know that's the only reasonable explanation for the fan riots...
daamn you totally torched him.
yeah, i love football, but those idiots need to stop.
NHL this season was amazing! the game is back! back to its glory days of open ended action... like the 80's!
* Low res - I cant play that back on a 50 inch TV and enjoy it (it isnt even 480i)
* No portability: I cant transfer these to a DVD or a home media server or a tivo/cable co clone...so even if the resolution were better, the only way to enjoy the content is to go behind the TV and / or reciever and hook up the ipod directly
* Hilights?!?!?! come on you cheap assholes, give me the whole fucking game!
Who buys these things? an army of brainwashed drones?
GO AVALANCHE...er...hu...awww...screw it!
Originally posted by a_greer
[B]Why bother? Three MAJOR strikes against sports in this model:
* Low res - I cant play that back on a 50 inch TV and enjoy it (it isnt even 480i)
That right there is the biggest negative in my mind - hockey is the one sport that will benefit the most from HDTV and large screens. Stripping down the resolution only makes it even more difficult to enjoy.
But hey, kudos for getting it on the iTMS at all. More content is only a good thing at this stage.
I suppose if one can see the games for free in the States from common cable channels, this offer makes no sense what-so-ever. But in Finland it could raise some curiosity.
Originally posted by Elixir
yeah i dont know who buys these things either.
If they discover people are not willing to purchase "highlights" they'll change their offerings or stop selling them. As it stands, it's a good source of incremental revenue for both Apple and the content provider, at little additional cost to them.
Originally posted by a_greer
[BWho buys these things? an army of brainwashed drones?
[/B]
Yeah. They're called sports fans. You know, the ones who shave half of their heads, paint themselves blue, or some other color, with stripes, or polka dots, wear underpants, and wave the image of their team mascot in the middle of the winter ? outside the stadium.
Originally posted by acidapples
I just might if the cost was human, like 2 bucks per series, and the quality was good enough to playback using my TV. Currently I'm paying 29 euros per month for a premium channel that shows NHL games, and NHL games are a big reason for that. Actually getting these games online would save me some money in that way, but I suppose my ADSL line (512kbps) isn't fast enough to stream them, and who the hell would want to watch them afterwards.
I suppose if one can see the games for free in the States from common cable channels, this offer makes no sense what-so-ever. But in Finland it could raise some curiosity.
They will sell!
WooT!!!
Damn, Apple should stop treating the rest of the world like a developing country...
Originally posted by Elixir
yeah i dont know who buys these things either.
I think these are called market trials.
Demand will drive resolution I hope.
Originally posted by MacGregor
I think these are called market trials.
Demand will drive resolution I hope.
Thats a double edge sward...If the res sucks, folks may only buy one game and be turned off to itunes video for the long run; so even if they up the res, they may have lost customers, and how do they know that customers who bought one and hated it wouldnt have bought more, and maybe differant sports too...
I would love to see them do a high res trial along side the low res, think of the potential if Apple worked with the NFL..."Monday ticket"...every NFL game in its own 15 minute highlight format delivered to subscribers on Mondays at...sit down...720P...imagine that with a Mac for a HDTV/iTunes Video HD appliance! games could also be made availible ala-carte; and other HD stuff too.
Originally posted by Denmaru
Damn, Apple should stop treating the rest of the world like a developing country...
When Europe gets electricity, indoor plumbing and get rid of a silly "royal family" that has no actual power, then you can have your i-Hockey </sarcasum>
Untill you get the i-Hockey fun, just download the HDTV RIPS from bit torrent and enjoy a res that acctually makes the puck visible. Dont sweat the copy right, it is a US copyright and there is no legal way for Europe, Asia, or any other Non US/Canada region can see the NBC telecasts, you probably dont fall subject to copyright laws...wanna clear your mind of some kind of torrent-guilt, buy a jersy, hat or some other swag of your fav team.
Originally posted by Project2501
For iTunes to be viable source for sports casts it needs to get some dynamic streaming and play while loading functionality, with the model they have now everyone knows the scores before they even can start downloading the video. Kind of takes the excitement out of it doesn't it? That's why they now have only the highlights.
That seems like a good idea in theory, but live sports are already locked into exclusive deals...and besides, why waist bandwidth streaming live sports in a craptastic res when you can get the games in sd and a lot of pro games in HD on cable/sat with various "legue pass" subscribtions, and do it for a much better cost...
think about this, I will just make up some numbers to work with here; lets say a legue has a 20 game season and there are 20 teams in the legue, 20*20=400, sice each game has 2 teams, 400/2=200 so 200 games at $1.99/game (I will round to $2 for clean numbers) so you are looking at $400 for a season ticket with itunes, but the same thing on cable/sat range from $149-$229
Originally posted by a_greer
That seems like a good idea in theory, but live sports are already locked into exclusive deals...and besides, why waist bandwidth streaming live sports in a craptastic res when you can get the games in sd and a lot of pro games in HD on cable/sat with various "legue pass" subscribtions, and do it for a much better cost...
think about this, I will just make up some numbers to work with here; lets say a legue has a 20 game season and there are 20 teams in the legue, 20*20=400, sice each game has 2 teams, 400/2=200 so 200 games at $1.99/game (I will round to $2 for clean numbers) so you are looking at $400 for a season ticket with itunes, but the same thing on cable/sat range from $149-$229
I didn't mean that they should do it, just tried to say, for me to consider them as a viable sports media they need to do live streaming, some torrent type of network should be made to host it, of course it wouldn't be true realtime, but few minutes lag isn't that bad. And also is there any true realtime broadcasts in us anyways, because there might always be something to sensor everywhere. Also some kind of season pass pricing should be made to keep it reasonably priced.