By Joey Gardiner, 15 January 2002 16:40
NEWS Cricket almanac Wisden has bought the rights to broadcast England's upcoming one-day international series with India live over the internet, and is charging users for the privilege. Despite the continued problems with the online sports market, and the practical drawbacks of the internet for viewing a sport with a really very small ball, Wisden thinks it can get cricket buffs to pay £10 a game, or £50 for all six matches. Undeterred by the lack of broadband penetration in this country and many others, Wisden is asking users to fork out for the coverage in advance. To guarantee it can support the service, live streaming has been limited to 1,000 users, although an unlimited number will be able to pay smaller amounts for highlights at the end of the day. While this is undoubtedly a brave move for Wisden, it's unclear whether the subtler nuances of the game, such as dubious edges, debatable LBWs and contentious run-outs will really translate to the web. Earlier attempts by Mick Jagger to stream live cricket were not a resounding success. Wisden bought the rights to show the matches from Indian state broadcaster. For more information see: http://www.dd.now.com/highlights/default.sps.
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