Monday, Mar. 25, 2019 – A roundup of some of the key sports technology stories you need to know, including SportTechie’s own content and stories from around the web.
- Illegal Premier League Streamers Sentenced to Jail in UK: Three people have been sentenced to a combined 17 years in the UK for illegally streaming EPL games. Meanwhile, a separate investigation involving the league’s cybersecurity team and several international police agencies led to the arrest of five more people for crimes related to illegal streaming. “We will continue to invest in cutting-edge technology and work with law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders across the world to protect our rights,” said Kevin Plumb, the Premier League’s director of legal services, in a press release.
- NFL Seeks Streaming Platform for Sunday Ticket Rights: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is hoping to find a streaming platform for the NFL Sunday Ticket package according to Bloomberg. AT&T-owned DirectTV pays the NFL $1.5 billion per year for the exclusive rights to Sunday Ticket, but the NFL could opt-out of that agreement after next season. “We want [Sunday Ticket] delivered on several different platforms,” Goodell said. The league is talking to tech companies about a potential deal involving Sunday Ticket, according to Sports Business Daily.
- La Liga Launches OTT Streaming Service LaLigaSportsTV: La Liga has become the first major European sports league to launch its own streaming platform. The free LaLigaSportsTV app can be downloaded for use on mobile devices, tablets, and smart TVs. It will allow Spain-based fans to watch live content from almost all Spanish sporting federations, including basketball, boxing, motor racing, esports, and even (American) football. “The aim is to offer less high-profile sports greater and improved visibility,” said Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, in a press release.
- Verizon and the NFL Plan 5G Innovation Partnership: A two-year partnership between Verizon and the NFL will focus on implementing 5G technology. Verizon will leverage its existing content distribution deal with the league to explore ways to stream video in 5G, develop 5G-powered mobile features for fans to access in-stadium during games, and also create NFL-themed mobile games. Verizon is now the NFL’s official 5G innovation partner according to a press release.
- Play By Play Camps Partners With SportsCastr Streaming Platform: A camp designed for students interested in becoming professional sports broadcasters has signed a deal with live streaming startup SportsCastr. All campers will be able to operate their own live streaming channel on SportsCastr, and will compete against each other and SportsCastr’s entire community. The top prize is an invite to the NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles in May.