Watch Live Streaming Sports via iTunes...
It is not yet possible to watch sports via Apple’s iTunes software but it may not be far off. Apple have been building a massive data centre infrastructure to support the expected increase in streaming video and audio as well as their forthcoming icloud service due to be launch later this year.
Apple will have the infrastructure and cash in place to support the purchasing of the rights from the Premier League and could offer the only suitable competition to Sky Sports in the UK. Many TV companies have tried to break into Sky’s monopoly including the doomed UK Setanta launch and now ESPN.
It may not even need to be involved in live streaming sports. Imagine being able to download Match of Day or other match highlights from iTunes on the Sunday after missing the Saturday night showing. It may not even need to be Apple involved. The BBC or other existing rights holders could put their shows on the iTunes store for a small fee. I’m sure there would be many fans out there who would be willing to pay a small fee for match highlights.
ESPN UK already hold the UK online rights for the Premier League but their recently launched Goals mobile application is really poor. The video clips in the application are so poor you cannot identify the players! Previous mobile/internet rights holders (Yahoo and Virgin Media) have so far failed to come up with a decent offering.
Football highlights packages via iTunes may offer a potential money spinner as the infrastructure is already in place. iTunes already holds the most credit card linked accounts.