News from the FCC and a federal court decision mean that sports fans may soon see the end of hated black-out rules, which prevent local fans from seeing their teams on TV and the internet.…
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Pro sports teams walk a fine line using analytics to sell more stuff
If I'm paying $200 to see the Red Sox play (don't laugh), do I really want to be spammed with offers on my iPhone? Maybe yes, maybe no. This the sort of question team execs are wrestling with in our hyper-connected era.…
Read MoreMLB.tv is coming to the Xbox One
Major League Baseball’s MLB.tv launched on Microsoft’s (S MSFT) Xbox One Tuesday, giving users of Microsoft’s new game console a way to…
Read MoreESPN is wary of cord-cutters, says protecting pay-TV is first priority
The ranks of cord-cutters are growing -- but ESPN is digging in to protect the existing TV model. A new feature shows the tension in the sports giant's calculations, and raises the question of how long this can go on.…
Read MoreFinding the HBO or the Netflix of the enterprise: What we’ve all been waiting for
Much like television is experiencing a diversity of new and niche content thanks to the change in distribution wrought by broadband, the enterprise is experiencing a similar explosion of software.…
Read MoreThe FCC’s plan for TV blackouts: what it means for sports fans
Sports leagues -- especially the NFL -- use blackouts to encourage fans to see games in the stadium rather than on TV. A new proposal by the FCC would make it harder to do this, but it won't bring relief to the majority of sports fans. Here's a Q&A that explains how it all works.…
Read MoreNFL and MLB ask Supreme Court to stop Aereo, warn they will move more games to cable
Sports leagues filed a petition in support of broadcasters' request to shut down Aereo at the Supreme Court. The filing shows how Aereo has become a high-stakes threat, and provides a window into the evolving economics of digital TV.…
Read MoreFCC may end blackout rules, but games may still be blacked out online
The FCC may finally get rid of its decades-old blackout rules for live sports broadcasts. Unfortunately, that still doesn't mean that any of these games will be available online.…
Read MoreMLB using Apple’s iBeacons to create interactive stadium experiences
The MLB is planning to use the new iBeacon indoor mapping technology in Apple’s iOS 7 to customize its At the Ballpark app, making it an interactive experience at stadiums nationwide.…
Read MoreMLB begins rookie season as a mobile game publisher
MLB is known as the pro sports league that understood the power of mobile way before its peers. But can it repeat that success in mobile games in order to build its brand among non-baseball fans?…
Read MoreMLB starts to stream games live on YouTube… outside of the US and Canada
Watching MLB games live on YouTube is now possible... if you live in Europe: The league is starting to stream two games per day on the video site, but not in key markets.…
Read MoreWhat I learned at paidContent Live: No one has all the answers on the future of media, and that’s good
One thing that emerged from our media conference was that there is no single solution when it comes to the future of content, or the monetization of media -- and that is probably a good thing.…
Read MoreMLB At Bat app now sees 1M users a day, but won’t take over your homescreen
Not every content company wants to monopolize your homescreen a la Facebook Home.…
Read MoreMLB’s big bet on mobile apps pays off on Opening Day
MLB's At Bat app was accessed 6 million times on Monday, the first day of baseball's 2013 season. That's more than double the app's audience on Opening Day last year.…
Read MoreHow to use your smartphone to get a better seat during a baseball game
By connecting its smartphone app with real-time ticket inventory, MLB will let baseball fans in four cities (at first) find better seats after arriving at a game.…
Read MoreMLB pitches its updated iOS, Android apps for Opening Day
This year's mobile app for iOS and Android app can be used on both platforms and has a new deal bundling GameDay Audio subscriptions for free.…
Read MoreHappy 10th birthday MLB.tv. Now that’s what I call sports TV
MLB.tv is one of success stories of the online video streaming business. Thanks to rabid baseball fans across the globe, the service has signed up millions of subscribers, racking up mega-millions of dollars in revenues. And today, the service celebrates its 10th birthday.…
Read MoreSorry, you can’t watch the All-Star Game online (legally)
After an intense series of live sports events online -- from the U.S. Open and NBA playoffs to Wimbledon and the Tour de France -- it's odd to hit a black-out window for the All-Star Game. Everything is geared to sending fans to their TVs.…
Read MoreWant to see the future of mobile coverage? Go to a baseball game
Verizon Wireless is hauling COWs and COLTs to Kansas City and Detroit but not to any livestock show. These COWs and COLTs are cells on wheels and cells on light trucks. Carriers have long been using temporary cells. What’s interesting about these is they’re 4G.…
Read MoreUpdated: MLB tries major Twitter push for All-Star Game
Major League Baseball is changing the rules for its contest to select the last two 2012 All-Stars, allowing tweets with official hashtags in the last four hours to equal browser or mobile votes. But can a tweet equal a site visit or SMS in value?…
Read MoreWhy I’m not voting for David Freese to be a 2012 All-Star
Last year, Major League Baseball fans cast more than 50 million votes for the last players to be added to the 2011 All-Star Game rosters. Voting is underway to do the same for the 2012 All-Star Game but should you chime in?…
Read MoreWhat are you paying for when you buy TV?
Traditional cable is no longer about choice; it's about access. As an access provider for content, cable has the widest depth of content right now, but it also costs the most. So how long can it keep content and customers?…
Read MoreWith 3M downloads, MLB app hits it out of the park
MLB's office of Advanced Media has had the video streaming and mobile game figured out far longer any of its American peers in professional sports. And their mobile app is having a record-setting season in 2012, with 3 million downloads just a week into baseball season.…
Read MoreWNBA launches streaming iPad app to recruit new fans
Millions of subscribers pay yearly to stream baseball or basketball games to their web browser or mobile devices. But for leagues like the WNBA, getting into the streaming game is more about using online video to increase awareness and fan loyalty.…
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