Live NBA games now on iPhone, Android
Live stats overlay a game streamed to the NBA League Pass mobile app.
(Credit: NBA)Not about to be outdone by baseball, pro basketball is getting in on live streaming to mobile phones.
The National Basketball Association will announce its first set of applications that let fans watch games live on a mobile device Thursday. NBA League Pass Mobile will be available for download for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android phones starting Friday, the third day of the league's regular season. BlackBerry users will have to wait a bit longer, the league saying that application will arrive "by the end of the year."
The NBA follows Major League Baseball, which introduced its iPhone- and iPod Touch-compatible live streaming application in July, and a beta version of an Android app Wednesday.
The NBA's application will cost $39.99 and let users watch up to 40 live games per week via their smartphone, though local TV blackout rules will still apply. The app also has an option to watch some games on demand for up to two days later and comes with game alerts and live stats.
Currently there is not added benefit if customers are already subcribers to the NBA's League Pass TV package. But bundling the two is something the league is looking at for the future, said Bryan Perez, senior vice president and general manager of NBA Digital.
Besides the live streaming app, the NBA already has its Game Time and Game Time Lite apps on Apple's App Store, the Android Market, and BlackBerry App World. The Lite version is free and comes with scores, stats, standings, and team schedules. The $9.99 Game Time includes some on-demand video, game highlights, live game alerts, stats, and access to an NBA Twitter feed.
Perez said the league has made an aggressive push into mobile this year, mostly because it knows who its fans are.
"We have one of the younger demographics of the major sports leagues," he said. "As we look to the future of our fan base, they're consuming content in a much different way, and in many ways the mobile phone is the connection to the world for the youth market. If we want to cultivate fans and be innovative, we need to follow our fans where they're going."
More screenshots after the jump.
Highlights menu.
(Credit: NBA)
Live game scores menu.
(Credit: NBA)
Live stats.
(Credit: NBA)
Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who covers Apple, HP, Dell, and other PC makers, as well as the consumer electronics industry. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica. 
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1) The $40 is only for the 2009/2010 season. Next season, you'll have to either buy the app again or something. This tidbit is from the app's builtin FAQ.
2) You can watch games over 3G without jb'ing.
3g video streaming for me is very frustrating on my iPhone 3g.
I'm in SF Bay Area with AT&T/iPhone 3g - JBroken. My limited experience streaming video using Slingbox/iPhone 3g is that it looks good on wifi - but every 30 minutes or so, my video will drop.
Using 3g, my signal or connection is not consistent enough and can watch maybe 5-15 minutes before dropping. Using 2g/Edge, forget it - too blurry and freezes constantly.
I don't know whether to blame my iPhone or AT&T or both - as my laptop almost never drops video.
I am a huge Golden State Warriors fan with an iPhone. In March, I bought a Slingbox for $180 ($150 now if you shop around) and the iPhone Slingplayer app for $30. I can watch whatever's on my home cable box remotely from my iPhone or 3 laptops (only one connection going at a time). This will cover most home and away Warriors games.
However with the recession, my guess is that many NBA games this season will NOT sell out. Thus, Comcast Cable may or may not locally televise my Warrior games.
Erica reports, "The NBA's application will cost $39.99 and let users watch up to 40 live games per week via their smartphone, though local TV blackout rules will still apply."
If one buys this package, will any NBA games be blacked out?
If one's local team's game is not televised, shouldn't they be able to view the NBA game on this package???
I'm only sweating this because I'll be on the road a bit this season.
$40 is no big deal to me considering to attend that same NBA game - that's what it'll cost you to park and get a program, hot dog, nachos, and a cold one.... let alone the tickets!
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