C The usually staid sport of cricket has been transformed since the advent of the Twenty20 format and the big-money IPL tournament, which is now in its third year. And its latest innovation could have global ramifications for the way people watch sport. Last year one of England's football World Cup qualifiers was screened exclusively on the internet, with limited success, but the IPL deal goes much further. The tournament will become the first sporting event to be shown live globally on a dedicated YouTube channel. Viewers will be able to choose their own camera angles, freeze and fast forward footage, log into chat rooms to discuss the action as it unfolds and look at player and match statistics. Replays of games will also be available through an archive feature. In countries where the IPL has a deal with a broadcaster there will be a slight delay on the internet feed, but in the UK the games will be broadcast in real time. Internet viewers will also have control over how they watch the game as they can choose the feed they watch, some of which are exclusive to the YouTube channel. IPL commissioner Lalit Modi told the Daily Telegraph: "This changes the world of sports broadcasting. Google have never done this before. This is a first for the whole of sport. "This will be a true experience for the fan who will be able to control how and when they watch the action... if you fancy watching from the stump cam or from behind the bowlers arm then so be it because 20 different feeds will be available. The viewer will have the choice and not the television companies. He added that the deal would give fans more freedom. "You will be able to get up in the morning and, if you have an internet connection, watch the action at a time of your choosing and not have to wait for a broadcaster to repeat it." The two-year deal will see Google and the IPL share sponorship and advertising revenue. The tournament begins in March and runs until April. The deal with the IPL in India is in contrast to the search engine's troubles in another emerging market, China, where Google has threatened to quit the country because of hacking attempts and curbs on free speech. Filed under: Indian Premier League, IPL, Lalit Modi, Cricket, Google,YouTubeGoogle to screen IPL cricket live on YouTube
Two-year deal will see games streamed live around the world on a dedicated web channel
Thursday, 21 January 2010
LAST UPDATED 3:20 PM, JANUARY 20, 2010
ricket's Indian Premier League has struck a deal with Google to stream its matches live on YouTube in a move that could revolutionise the way sport is broadcast.
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