YouTube of funny video website fame, is taking another step toward becoming a serious catch up tv network tomorrow when it streams live Indian Premier Cricket League matches online. They have partnered with the India Premier League allowing YouTube to play streams of India’s most important annual tournament to all on the internet.

The live cricket on YouTube continues the video websites aim to become an online tv portal in the mould of Hulu or SeeSaw. Already Youtube have struck deals with UK networks Channel 4 and Channel 5, to stream full catch up episodes online. They also provide full movies, sport and concerts.

Youtube Streaming Cricket Online

Leigh Terry managing partner of media buyers OMD, said:-  “Rather than just going to YouTube and searching for a video they hope to become a destination much like a portal where people can go for a variety of content, not just sports. I have a feeling that this is just going to be the first [of others] to come.”

Mr Terry said that while YouTube’s success at attracting audiences was not in doubt – an estimated 36 million videos are watched by Australians each month – it had struggled to gain advertising dollars. “The audience hasn’t been the problem, it’s the quality and the exclusivity of the content,” he said, adding that initiatives such as this addressed that.

The planned 56 cricket matches for this season will contain around 32, 30-second commercials, showing during the play in each match watched live or on catch up.YouTube have eight sponsors including HSBC, Hewlett Packard, Coca Cola, Samsung, Indian mobile phone company, Airtel, Honda motorcycles amongst others.

Youtube is definately outgrowing the funny website image it became famous for and looking to cash in on the internet tv revolution we are currently witnessing.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 12th, 2010 at 5:53 pm and is filed under catch up tv, Internet TV Websites, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.