Check Out MLBAM’s Ridiculous Launch Schedule for 2015

MLB Advanced Media, or the biggest media company you’ve never heard of, is about to embark on a video streaming expedition the likes of which the internet has never seen, supporting five launches in the next month alone, all while providing video streaming infrastructure for CBS Sports, ESPN, and WWE.

Take a look at this list put together by TechCrunch’s Matthew Panzarino:

  • 3/18 – Sony’s PlayStation Vue
  • 3/18 – March Madness streaming for Turner
  • 3/29 – Wrestlemania
  • 4/6 – MLB Opening Day
  • 4/12 – HBO Now debut with Game of Thrones

That launch calendar would be great if it occurred in a year’s time, but MLBAM is doing it in one month. If they nail it, MLBAM will be in prime position to do what has been speculated for months — spin off into their own digital entertainment company. As our esteemed managing editor, David Temple, noted, “Through some forward thinking, some early investments, and a little bit of luck, a sports league has ended up being a giant in one of the biggest tech industries around.”

As was previously reported by TechGraphs, HBO Now is being launched with an exclusive partnership with Apple TV, which created whispers that Apple is looking to start their own over the top streaming service like Sling.

In his interview with TechCrunch, Bowman responded to a question about the possibility of MLBAM supporting Apple in these efforts by saying, “I have no idea. We’d be honored to be part of anything, really… What people forget is how long they’ve been together, and how well they’ve been running the company. I think everybody would do a lot of things to be partners with Apple, but it’s hard to imagine there’s anything technologically we could bring to Apple.”

Continuing with the Apple theme, Bowman gave an update on the At Bat app launch for the Apple Watch, saying, “We obviously built a whole interface, when it launches in April and people sync their phones, [sic] obviously, the interface is different. Every piece of hardware has to look different… Hopefully, it looks cool and neat and — the watch itself, there’s ways to dig deeper. When you move it, you might just get an update, but when you punch it a couple times, it’ll dig a little deeper.”

Right now MLB.com is 85 percent of MLBAM’s business, but obviously that number is likely to fall given all off the business they’re taking on. When asked pick a competitor for MLBAM, Bowman responed, “I think the biggest competitors that we have are inertia.”

(Image via Ming-Yen Hsu)

 





Michael Tunney is a managing editor at Contently. He has also worked on marketing campaigns for bestselling authors like Robert Greene, Ryan Holiday, and James Altucher. Follow him on Twitter @mike_tunney.

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MikeY
9 years ago

Unfortunately they have multiple technical issues with mlb.tv, so I doubt the rollout of all these launches will be successful. Check out the support forum for mlb.tv. Entire vendor’s sets of devices once supported, now not working. Must be nice when your $1000 LG TV worked w/ mlb.tv last year, but does not this year.

Stuck in a Slump
9 years ago
Reply to  MikeY

That really shouldn’t be much of an issue considering that some one who owns a TV like that, probably also owns a smart Blu-Ray player, XBox 360/One, PS3/4, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, HTPC, etc. There are so many devices that run MLB.tv that it’s insane. If one device doesn’t work right now, there are literally dozens of other devices that will, and when they come as cheap as $35, why not? It’s easier to just buy Chromecast off Amazon than to deal with MLBAM finding and fixing the issue with your TV.

Personally, I run MLB.tv from my Android tablet, my PS4, and my PC, and this year’s update has been nearly perfect on all three devices.

mustbunique
9 years ago

Thanks for the continued coverage of the MLBAM undertakings. I love MLB.tv, get it every year. Works fantastic with my Apple TV, iPad, and laptop. Looking forward to exploring cord cutting options and getting my HBO without a cable company in the mix (except for also being the internet service provider). Is there any chance you could do a series on ISP’s that aren’t also cable companies? Or perhaps the best only internet ISP options in different regions? That would be really interesting.

Side note: This is only a ridiculous schedule if the same PDT members are producing all of these products. If staffed appropriately, this should be very manageable. I guess we (the readers) based upon the information given simply don’t have enough information to know if this is an aggressive schedule or not.

pft
9 years ago

Is MLBPA going to get a piece of the action? Will MLBAM revenues still be counted by the players as revenue they want a piece of?