Sony to launch BBC Sport app on PS3, Bravia TVs in time for Wimbledon
Sony has announced a deal to bring the new BBC Sport app to its Sony Entertainment Network on connected Bravia TV’s and PlayStation 3 (PS3) in time for the opening match of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in June. In addition to Wimbledon tennis, viewers will be able to watch live BBC coverage of Formula One, as well as 24 simultaneous streams and 2,500 hours of HD content during the Olympic Games in London this summer.
According to Sony, the app will provide new television content in addition to that available on free-to-air television. The application has been designed specifically for the “big screen” to deliver a better home-entertainment experience. The app focus will be on live sporting events where there are simultaneous activities or multiple camera angles. The app will provide UK consumers with a mix of both live and on-demand sporting events from the UK and around the world, straight to their living rooms.
“Televised sport is one of the biggest rating wins for broadcasters,” says Edd Uzzell, Sony category development manager for BRAVIA. “This truly is a killer app and will provide a substantial amount of additional sporting content that you can’t get through the current broadcasting model. We strongly believe this will kick-start more widespread usage of the connected television offering, providing sport fans using the app with in-depth big-screen coverage of their favorite events. The app will also have extensive penetration in the UK, thanks to its availability on PlayStation 3.”
The app will launch on PS3 and 2011 and 2012 Internet-enabled BRAVIAs, with more devices to follow, sitting alongside BBC News and BBC iPlayer on the Sony Entertainment Network.
In addition to the current BBC red-button function, consumers with the BBC Sport app will have access to more interactive content and extra coverage of future sporting events. The app’s user interface is similar to the BBC Sport website and can be navigated using the standard remote control, Media Remote smartphone application, or PlayStation 3 controller.