Yahoo!7 has added a cricket channel to its multi-sports iPhone Application to mark the start of the The Ashes. Of course this prompted me to download and have a look at it – and while it’s not going to set the world on fire, it is a good start. Having an app to get the latest sports results, particularly while the game is in play, is always going to be at the top of a sport fan’s list. Additionally delivering cricket into the app is great timing.
Although Yahoo!7 don’t have the rights to rebroadcast the game (dammit), you will be able to get stories drawn from its news services throughout the day. That they do hold the AFL broadcast rights does open up some opportunities though. The news section for AFL, for example, did include some detail on the new Gold Coast Suns franchise, but nothing n the draft. No video on it either. That the app is embedded with ads was a tad annoying. A great start, but room for improvement. From the press release:
Available for free through the iTunes App Store, the Yahoo!7 Sport App provides users with up-to-date sports news, video and results. In addition to cricket, the App covers AFL, Rugby League, Rugby Union, basketball (NBL and NBA) and football (A-League and English Premier League.) Kath Hamilton, Director of Audience at Yahoo!7 said, “As cricket fever sweeps the nation for The Ashes, we are delighted to add cricket to our iPhone App, giving people access to the latest news and scores anytime, anywhere. As well as cricket, users can access information about a range of other sports, and we are proud to offer the first truly multi-sports application in Australia, providing an easy to use single destination for sports fans.”
The Yahoo!7 Sport App also presents an excellent opportunity for advertisers wishing to reach a male demographic. Interactive sponsorship positions can be integrated within the App including splash screen integration, live score board presence, page curls and bespoke custom solutions. Developed in partnership with the specialist sports knowledge provider Cadability, the latest offering from Yahoo!7 delivers cricket fans with on-the-go information including live, up-to-the-minute scores and statistics from The Ashes, plus all other major cricket events from across the globe.
The Yahoo!7 Sport App is currently exclusively available to iPhone with plans to extend the offering to Android and other platforms. The application will feature a number of premium events in 2011 including the Australian Open in January.