ABA 2000 "claims it will become the first" pro sports league to "stream a live game in its entirety over the Internet," according to Mike Reynolds of CABLE WORLD. Working with S.F.-based video provider C2B Ventures, ABA 2000 will stream the Memphis Houn'Dawgs-L.A. Stars game Friday at the Forum. A pregame show will be available on www.ABA.2000.com, with game action following that. Stars GM Steve Chase: "For now, our plans call for Webcasting the remaining Stars home schedule. ... We expect this to result in league-wide Internet broadcasting." C2B Ventures CEO Tom Spengler said that "viewers with DSL, cable modem, broadband and other ISPN connections with speeds of 100K or 300K will be able to view the games." The Stars are paying for the Webcast (CABLE WORLD, 1/26 issue).
REALNETWORKS/NBA: RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser said that his company's new deal with the NBA (see THE DAILY, 1/29), under which NBA content will be available to subscribers starting Thursday, "marks the first time live, continuous premium cable television content will be available through an Internet subscription service." NBA Commissioner David Stern, on the deal: "We aren't paying Real any money and we expect to profit from this" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 1/30).
