(20 January 2010 7:20 pm)

MUMBAI: The IPL will come to a laptop near you! In a move that could revolutiionise the future of sports broadcasting, the Indian Premier league (IPL) has signed a deal with the world's most valuable media company Google.

All matches of the IPL will be streamed live on Youtube. The deal is for two years and will be ad supported. There is a revenue sharing arrangement and the deal was done with World Sport Group (WSDG) which holds the media rights to the IPL. The site is www.youtube.com/ipl.

This is the first time that Google is live streaming a sports event and a cricket tournament spanning 60 matches over 45 days on YouTube. This partnership also marks a first-of-its-kind innovation in live streaming of any global cricketing event providing boundary-less access to the billions of fans across the world, except in the US where re-broadcast options will be available.

Now fans from Mumbai to Melbourne will be able to enjoy all the 60 matches of DLF IPL 2010 and join the action with cricket fans from all over the world on-demand and share their experiences on YouTube. They will also enjoy special content, which includes match highlights, player interviews, wickets of the match, top sixes of the match, award ceremony, pitch reports, and much more, at any time convenient to them. Those who watch IPL matches live on YouTube will also get a a YouTube View that will provide viewers with an alternative view of the match not available on television or any other media.

Google India MD Shailesh Rao says, “We are thrilled to have the IPL as our global partner and bring to the YouTube community around the world and here in India an interactive, unique experience building greater awareness around the world for the sport. During the IPL season, the biggest and most talked-about cricket tournament in the world, YouTube will offer innovative and engaging advertising opportunities to companies which help them build stronger online brand associations and engage the audience."

Besides live streaming there will also be on demand where viewers can catch up on matches at their convenience. Clips and Highlights is another piece.

IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi says that this announcement is pathnbreaking. "We have fans fromm all over the world. However broadcasting only reaches some of them. Now we reach anybody with a broadband connection no matter where they are. This will tarnsofrm how sports broadcasting is viewed. We will have many feeeds including a fun feedf. This will offer different aspects of the game like behind the scenes. Communities can be built. Users can create their own commentaries. Their questions can be answered in real time. Archives of the first two seasons are also available".

Modi, however, adds that one cannot download content due to copyright issues. He says that this deal strikes a blow against piracy. Now there is no need to go to a pirated stream.

Rao says that Youtube is looking for 10 commercial partners for the venture. The expectation is that companies that have advertised on Max will also come on board here as this is a new opportunity. When asked whether Youtube would affect viewing on Max, Rao says that platforms complement each other.

In addition to live streaming of matches on YouTube, Google will also host a special IPL branded Orkut Community which will host live chats with Man of the Match, team owners, contests and match polls to engage fans and audiences while the tournament is on. Users will also be able to enjoy short clips of highlights and other special video content on the YouTube mobile - www.youtube.com/mobile.

The advertising options on YouTube will be available only for a limited number of sponsors over the course of the season. Companies will have the opportunity to sponsor live streamed matches, match re-broadcasts, and ongoing viewership of clips and highlights. Advertisers will be able to advertise on the YouTube homepage, the live stream page and video ads during the match itself amongst several other innovative formats.