Filed under: iPhone, App Store
Watch live NBA games with League Pass Mobile for iPhone
The NBA, via MobiTV, has made available its "League Pass" service to the iPhone via the League Pass Mobile app [iTunes link]. Like the MLB At Bat app [iTunes link], League Pass Mobile allows you to stream live NBA games onto your iPhone -- over 40 live NBA games per week. There's also the ability to view stats from the current game, and look at scores from games across the league. Subscribers can also replay full games up to 48 hours after the game has been played.
I'm a basketball junkie, and a former subscriber of NBA League Pass Broadband, the NBA's desktop version of the service -- former, because I actually just canceled my subscription yesterday. I found the service subjected too many games to blackouts, which often prevented me from watching many games of my beloved world champion Los Angeles Lakers. As a result, I'd often hop on over to my local sports bar to watch the game, which set me back at least US $12 with beer factored in. This year, instead, I'll be sacrificing the comfort of watching games in front of my desktop (and now the potential of watching it on my iPhone) for the peace of mind that the game I want to watch will be available at my local sports bar.
NBA League Pass Mobile is available for US $39.99 in the App Store.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gary Lee said 12:07PM on 10-30-2009
This is a pretty nice app . . i wonder how well it works over 3G . . . and will AT&T Shut it down cuz of the data limits? . . . hey Sang, if you're a lakers fan, come check out http://LakersNation.com
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vincentreusch said 12:14PM on 10-30-2009
You had my sympathies until the words, "my beloved world champion Los Angeles Lakers."
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Gary Lee said 12:27PM on 10-30-2009
As long as you know they're the WORLD CHAMPION Los Angeles Lakers :) . .
starq said 2:55PM on 10-30-2009
As long as you know they're the - - BUY A WORLD CHAMPION - - Los Angeles Lakers :) . .
9600baud said 12:33PM on 10-30-2009
well... your story is nice and all but how about something useful like... oh... an app review???
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Erostratus said 12:34PM on 10-30-2009
Let's see, the NBA increased the prices on its full broadband package from $85 in 2008 to $135 in 2009. Now, League Pass broadband subscribers still have to pay $40 to watch games on the iPhone. At least MLB didn't make you pay again if you already purchased a broadband subscription. Talk about being reasonable in a down economy...
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jake said 12:38PM on 10-30-2009
If you are thinking about using this app to avoid blackout restrictions, note that the description says that all of the typical blackout and local market restrictions apply to the iPhone version. They even apply to archived games.
The NBA has an audio app that is supposed to be blackout free, but that app gets terrible reviews for crashing constantly. Or rather, it evidently crashes constantly, thus it gets terrible reviews.
I don't think this app is going to keep you out of the bar.
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Tape said 1:02PM on 10-30-2009
The blackout rules are ridiculous, especially if, for example, you get the broadband League Pass because you don't have (or want) cable TV service.
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Steven said 1:33PM on 10-30-2009
I don't mind the blackout rules for live games, but they even blackout the replay of those games! I mean if the game on TNT ended 24 hours ago, what is the use of not showing a replay??? That means since the Lakers and Cavs are on cable every week, you can expect to not be able to watch half their games on Broadband or the iPhone.
I'm all worked up now. Anyone know where to write to complain about this? :(
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SleptOn said 1:50PM on 10-30-2009
So can I watch this on my tv through the video out? Not worth it?
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huth.sebastian said 3:05PM on 10-30-2009
NFL plz…
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JiN said 3:41PM on 10-30-2009
$39.95 and compared to MLB@Bat. It's true that MLB was mostly audio for it's $9.95 but...
- they offered 1 or 2 games a night on TV for free
- you can use your Online account to get the videos
- all Playoff and World Series TV is free
- free video highlights while the game it happening
- unlimited audio for any game!
- 99cent TV for one game
If league pass can get 4 of these then I might come back to the NBA.
+1 for an NFL app.
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AppleMac512ke said 5:04PM on 10-30-2009
The NBA packages are all overpriced. They keep talking about how they're embracing the digital age, but basically, they keep prices high, exclude fanbase, and alienate fans from countries interested.
If David Stern really does want to bring NBA to Europe or China, he better start building up fanbase in those countries by releasing applications at afforadble prices.
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Dupp said 5:20PM on 10-31-2009
I assume you can't just turn off location services as a workaround for blackout games?
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reycat said 7:01PM on 10-31-2009
Don't remind me about the Location Services. I jumped through a lot of hoops to buy the app without an US Credit Card, thinking my VPN would fool the app into thinking I was in USA and I could watch the games.
I should have remembered that the iPhone doesn't rely on IP addresses to know where you are. D*mn!
Now I'm hoping somebody develops a Mobilesubstrate extensions that allows tinkering with the location services. Whoever is listening I'd pay for it!