Is Watching Football on the Internet The Future?

By: Rob | October 11th, 2009

Web Football A while ago (by that I mean about this time last year), I did a post over at the Premier League Offside about why the Premier League ought to embrace the internet as the future, instead of just madly stamping down on p2p websites that stream football matches – and frankly are a godsend to livebloggers.

The mainstream public in the UK was given a taste of watching football on the web this week, as for reasons previously explained, no TV channels showed an England World Cup Qualifier, and people had to watch (legally or otherwise) the game on the internet.

Apparently just under 500,000 people watched it via the legal subscription stream, which is, for my money, absolutely fascinating. These aren’t the regular internet-watchers (most of those would surely have headed to one of the many websites where they could watch for free), they are people who were trying it for the first time. And the proof was in the pudding – there is a market for selling matches over the internet.

Of course 500,000 people is alot less than would have watched it if it was on ITV. But the point is, most of those were people dipping their toe in for the first time. So surely, the football authorities will finally see the light, and see that if you offer someone a reliable stream, they’ll pay for it.

I certainly would, if it was a good price, and a good service. I do stream P2P now and then – mainly when I’m doing Liveblogs, and don’t want to have to set up a PC/Laptop near a TV, just switching the window is easier.

And Liveblogs are, for me, wonderful things. Its like watching the game in a pub, except there isn’t a horrible smell, you aren’t struggling to see over some guy’s stupid jester hat, and no-one is being sick on your shoes.

But there is always the worry with an illegal stream that it’s going to crash out/switch to porn/a different game/freeze/etc. A reliable internet stream would be so valuable.

As internet technology gets faster, and more and more people have good broadband access, and understand how the whole thing works, surely its only a matter of time before an alternative to the mainstream sports channels is set up via the Internet?

I think this experiment proves it can be done. I don’t have much faith in the big bosses seeing the potential though.

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Category: World Football

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darren@soccerworldarren@soccer

Thanks for the post! Great information.
David

I've tried several online 'pirate' sites, and have yet to find a decent one. However, UEFA.com's Champions League PPV online service is excellent. (Cheap, no breaks, with great commentary.) I tend to use it a lot, because although in Mexico you can get pretty much any footie match you want, there are three problems: They give the results of games they are yet to transmit (!), they tend to show live only those games that involve Latin Americans, and they don't provide the option of listening to the commentary in English. (The technology's there - I've heard the odd snatches of English when they get their wires crossed - but for some reason they just won't switch on the alternative audio.) Also, Latin American commentators seem to be paid by the word. They never, ever shut up, and thus come out with the most ill-informed, irrelevant and downright stupid drivel. (And their minute-long screams of "gooooooooooooool" do my head in!) I therefore just press the mute button, and watch the games in silence. I know it's my fault for living here, and don't blame them ("when in Rome..."), but I would have moved back to Blighty long since had I not discovered that I can watch any Champions league game I want on the UEFA site. If FIFA and the Premiership were to do the same with the World Cup and English games, I'd sign up like a shot.
Саид...

prikolno
Fernando

i hate watching games on-line, jump-TV in the US is the worst.
Daryl

The other story here is that the game was also available in cinemas. A bit like the old days.

Never seen a game like that but love the idea. Short of being there, I reckon that sounds like the best way to watch a game. Big big screen and like minded fans to cheer with so it's a communal experience. Plus no one standing in front of you like in the pub.
Laurie

I think Rob's point about liveblogging was not that it's comparable to watching in a real bar, but that if you're going to be watching the game online anyway, the liveblog is the closest you get to a "soccer bar" experience. I'd have to agree with this -- it can be a lot of fun to exchange thoughts with people from around the world as the game is going on.

And I think this is especially true in the US, where soccer fans are few and far between.
alex

i watched the US and Honduras game (with hondurian announcers) and it was weird/nice to see the game like this...basically bootlegging a channel from honduras isnt the way ur suppose to watch a game..but it'll do for now....why should u have to pay for a match/game that is free everywhere else?
martin

What Daryl said, the price was ridiculous. And I disagree that that watching football on your laptop with a liveblog is like watching in the pub, its rubbish. I'd much rather be watching on a huge screen with friends around and a beer in hand. If you don't like the smell of the pub, watch it round someone's house, but still with a load of people there. I find watching football alone a little depressing.
daryl

I think it's all about price. I would have happily paid a few pounds for the England game. Maybe three or four. But not 12, that was too much to ask for a game that England ultimately had nothing riding on.
Laurie

I find it so amusing that The Prem holds itself out as The Everything of Footy, yet MLS runs circles around them when it comes to internet access for games.

For $19.99 this year, I have live access to every match that's not shown on a national network, and then within two hours of the final whistle I have On Demand access to 100% of matches, including those that weren't available live.

(They also post highlights on YouTube. Neener, neener, Prem fans.) ;-)