MLB streaming all games to iPhone, iPod Touch

MLB is now streaming all games via At Bat app to MLB.tv subscribers.

(Credit: MLBAM)

Major League Baseball took another step in proving its technical superiority over the other three major sports leagues Wednesday, by connecting its wired MLB.tv subscription package with its At Bat iPhone application.

Beginning Wednesday, MLB will stream every single regular and postseason baseball game to fans via the $9.99 iPhone and iPod Touch application it initially released last year. Customers who already subscribe to MLB.tv and MLB.tv Premium packages--its online baseball viewing service--can now watch any game live from their phone or computer. The games will be streamed over the iPhone or iPod's Wi-Fi connection or 3G network. Games can be paused and rewound while playing.

Just after the iPhone OS 3.0 update was released in June, MLB added the feature that any purchasers of the At Bat app would get one free streamed game per week chosen by MLB, no MLB.tv subscription required. It took a little over a month to add the MLB.tv package, which streams 15 live games at a time.

The same rules of MLB.tv still apply however: if a game is blacked out in a local broadcast area, it won't be available to be streamed live, though the game will appear in the video archives at the conclusion of the game.

The most curious part of all this, however, has nothing to do with MLB, but AT&T. MLB is streaming 15 three-hour baseball games live every single day of the week, which is great for fans of the game, and AT&T is apparently cheering for it, too. So why is the carrier OK with this, but has restricted Sling's SlingPlayer Mobile application to Wi-Fi only?

SlingPlayer was not approved for the App Store with 3G streaming capability because streaming live broadcast TV over its 3G wireless network "violated the company's terms of use." MLB At Bat is now doing the same thing, but with AT&T's approval.

[jd_mayo]

Prolly gonna regret asking this but... Any sign of a Blackberry app coming soon? Now that most BB devices are video ready, I would assume MLB would not want to exclude a large fan base currently tethered to their company Blackberries.

Go ahead iPhone fanboys...

[shralpmeister]

Why would you post this here? Ask MLB.TV!

[AppleSuxLeo]

Rather watch on a laptop with a much better screen. A viewer would most likely be on WIFI anyways , not streaming on ATT`s lousy network. No "app" needed and better quality.

[rnaoncfixd]

You're just mad because they didn't extend it over to your precious Palm Pre.

[woodygg]

"Rather watch on a laptop with a much better screen."

Duh...

and I'd rather watch on my plasma... with a much better screen!

so, what happens when you only have your phone with you...?

[lil-yankee]

Plasmas are absolete right now, woodygg, come out of the caves.
Is ither led or oled that we are currently living on, sorry to harsly make you feel stupid (but those where my intentions)
BTW, black berries have a heck of a bad screen to it, very small minus the the storm

[jscott418]

I too question how you can get good streaming video on a cellular network? 3G or whatever. Seems like the content is there but the technology is falling behind. I have a iPod touch and I don't watch a lot of video on it. Its too small for one thing. Why would I do that when I can go to a sports bar or even just sit at home and watch it on a big screen? Even though WiFi can handle the video its just a novelty to be able to do this on a small device like the iPhone.

[cvaldes1831]

If you or AppleSuxLeo or anyone else doesn't like it, that's fine, don't use it.

However, clearly there is a market for streaming TV on handheld devices: the Japanese have had it for several years on their phones. For live events, you might not be able to get to another location where you have a larger screen, faster Internet connectivity, etc., but you will have your phone. (Maybe you're sitting on a train, in a bus, at work, etc.)

If it's not a live event, there's probably less urgency, but for live events, having video available on via an always-on network connection is a positive.

[whycali]

I have to agree with anyone who says this is just a fun thing to rub in your friends noses. I love the audio stream because I plug it into my car and listen while driving. But it is pure fantasy to think you can watch an entire baseball game streamed to your phone over 3G with the craptastic battery life this thing has.

[obelisk222]

I believe AT&T is allowing in this case because the app uses the new Adaptive Bit Rate streaming protocol Apple introduced with 3.0

See link below:

http://newteevee.com/2009/06/10/the-lowdown-on-apples-http-adaptive-bitrate-streaming/

[jumpjetta]

MLB is probably paying AT&T to let it happen, that's probably why. So much for 'net neutrality. We'll just bypass that issue because you're not really on the Internet anymore, you're on AT&T's turf. SlingPlayer probably couldn't afford whatever bribe AT&T demanded.

[AnthonyM1188]

The quality is not very good on 3g but it is watchable, but I am a subscriber to MLB Extra Innings and I am left out in the cold on this one, and I'm not happy. Also this is subject to blackout restrictions which blocked you from watching teams in your market, and virtually every Saturday-day game because of Foxs game of the week agreement.

[basraw]

People discussed this before.

It is easier to AT&T to send over its network 1 stream signal of the game than having 1,000,000 people watching random TV that can't be optimized.

[eric1971]

It is actually 1-2 games a day for those without a MLB.TV subscription. Not one a week.

[chi-man]

Curious, I can add an App on Iphone that allows me to stream France 24 live tv over 3G but no Slingbox. I can buy MLB content and watch over 3g, but no Slingbox. Comments from AAPL seem to be b/s as has nothing to do with "violations of Terms of Use" given that others can stream video to 3g phones. More likely, they are not allowing this to stay away from a fight with the broadcasters.

Why don't Comcast or DirectTV create an APP that does the same thing? Presumably they have right to broadcast these shows to me the subscriber whether over Internet (see fancast), a cable, or via a dish. Tell Comcast I'd pay the $29 (or whatever the Slingbox App costs now on Iphone).

So far i am very p'od at the "unlimited" Data Plan that ATT has sold me on my Iphone as it evidently has many limitations.

[woodygg]

"Why don't Comcast or DirectTV create an APP that does the same thing"

they do. i'll be able to watch nfl on my blackberry this year according to directv... not that i will :)

big screen!

[whycali]

woodygg
Dont let ignorance keep you down, Plasma crushes LED you can say it. Looking forward to watching NFL this Fall on some pisspoor Sunday I spend sitting with my 1 year old outside the changing room at Ann Taylor Loft or Macys.

[freytuck]

This is misleading - the $9.99 only gives two (out of area) streamed games per day. To get more you have to pay more,

[stanbrownis]

"connecting its wired MLB.TV >> subscription package << with its At Bat iPhone application"