by Jason Snell
MLB Advanced Media, streaming’s quiet giant
In The New Republic, Erik Malinowski writes about the video streaming prowess of Major League Baseball’s digital arm, which powers HBO NOW, among other services.
MLB Advanced Media, which has arguably the country’s most extensive and experienced broadband network for streaming live video, has been around since 2000… [it] powers ESPN’s watch-anywhere app. It runs Turner Sports’ March Madness streaming. The World Wrestling Entertainment Network contracts out its $10-a-month service into BAM’s capable hands. Sony depends on BAM for PlayStation Vue streaming service. While the NFL is giddy about streaming a game on YouTube next season and the NBA’s League Pass service can’t even get all of its games into high-def, MLB is serving up 60 million streams on its Opening Day—a 60 percent bump from a year ago—with nary a hitch.
Baseball made a big bet on digital technology early on and it has paid off massively.