PRESS RELEASE
The BBC has today launched its new sport app for connected TVs, enabling audiences to access the BBC's interactive coverage of major sporting events via the BBC Red Button.
This is the BBC's next generation TV experience, seamlessly integrating linear TV with online and on-demand content at the simple click of a button.
Initially focusing on Formula 1, the BBC Sport app will bring all the race action together in one place, with live streams, on-demand video and additional content. During races that are covered live on BBC One, fans won't miss a second of the race, with access to alternative options such as on-board cameras which take the viewer to the heart of the action and the ‘driver tracker' that shows where each car is on the circuit. As well as the races themselves, there will be full coverage of practice and qualifying sessions.
Over the next few months, the BBC Sport app will also include coverage of Euro 2012, Wimbledon and London 2012 Olympic Games for sports fans across the UK.
The BBC Sport app will sit alongside the award-winning BBC News app, which includes the best of BBC News on TV, online, and on-demand along with the BBC iPlayer app for connected TVs. The BBC News and Sport apps both launch today on Virgin Media's TiVo service, bringing BBC Red Button to around 500,000 Virgin Media TiVo homes, for free. The BBC Sport app for connected TVs will be made available on a range of additional devices.
Launching BBC Sport on connected TVs is another important step in the BBC's strategy to bring its content to audiences across four screens: the PC, mobile, tablet and connected TVs.
Phil Fearnley, General Manager for News and Knowledge in the BBC's Future Media division said "We are very excited to be launching our new BBC Sport app and Red Button service for connected TVs. Today's launch will ensure we bring our next-generation TV experience to sports fans across the UK, integrating TV and online content seamlessly at the click of a button. With predictions there'll be almost 36 million connected TVs installed in UK homes by the end of 2016*, the new BBC Sport app is a great new way for these audiences to access the best of BBC's content."
For further information on this announcement please refer to the following blog post:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2012/04/bbc_sport_app_on_connected_tvs.html
* Source: 3 Reasons Ltd, Spring 2011. This number projects sets technically capable of connection; numbers of actual connected sets will be lower, depending on broadband penetration, consumer behaviour etc.
The BBC will be providing live coverage of the following 10 races in the 2012 Formula 1 season across all its platforms: 15 April - China, 13 May - Spain, 27 May - Monaco, 24 June - Europe, 8 July - Britain, 2 September- Belgium, 23 September - Singapore, 14 October - Korea, 4 November - Abu Dhabi, 25 November - Brazil.
During Euro 2012 and Wimbledon, the new BBC Sport app will offer a range of alternative coverage options in line with those offered on the BBC Sport website, including additional matches/games, choice of audio commentary options, stats and rolling highlights.
Throughout the London 2012 Olympics Games, the new BBC Sport app will give audiences access to 2,500 hours of content and up to 24 simultaneous live events, all in HD, ensuring that, for the first time ever, millions of viewers across the UK will be able to watch every Olympic sport, live from every venue. Viewers will be able to access the same content that will be streamed live on the BBC Sport website on their TVs, through the app on their TV, as well as on all four screens online - mobile, tablet, connected TV and PC. There will also be a comprehensive range of highlights and news headlines available 24/7. More details will be announced in due course.
The BBC News app for connected TV brings video news clips via the web to living room TV screens. Designed as a complement to the BBC's live 24-hour news channel, editorial teams in the newsrooms curate clips around the clock to run alongside text-based news from BBC News Online - all started, stopped, and navigated via the remote control.
