BBC Sport has launched yet another way to keep up with live sporting action in the form of a Facebook app.
The app, similar to Livesport.TV’s service, will let you chat to friends as you watch Wimbledon and check out what they’re watching through an ‘Activity Stream’. This updates in real time and lets you discover other matches, streams and events your friends are watching and vice versa.
A beta version of the app is available to try out on Facebook now, with live chat functionality to be added in time for the London 2012 Olympics.
24 live streams of Olympic action will be accessible from the BBC Sport Facebook app during the games. This is yet another string to the BBC’s bow of Olympic coverage – as well as Freeview channels being set aside specifically for the games, you’ll be able to catch up on beach volleyball via the BBC Sports app on Smart TVs, PlayStation 3’s, via Red Button and on BBC Sport’s website.
Phil Fearnley, General Manager BBC News & Knowledge, says: “With our Facebook app we aim to bring even greater value to our online audiences, enabling them to watch together and share their excitement. We hope to use it to test the benefits of social viewing, as part of our ambition to deliver more innovative and transformative experiences to sports fans.”
The BBC Sport app for Facebook marks the first time the BBC has used the social network for streaming live video, paving the way for future BBC apps (News? iPlayer?) to appear in the left hand columns of people’s Facebook profiles.
Check out the BBC Sport Facebook app here (login needed).
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