Sports Fans Rejoice! Broadband Makes Your Day...

There's a lot of talk regarding the internet supplanting traditional TV as the primary mode of video delivery. While I'm not one to jump too far into the deep end of hype, there is some truth to this potential future to be found in the sporting world.

Take a look at this article about all the different ways you can catch up on NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games online. It looks to me like we've reached the point where you have more options and opportunities for watching games/matches online than on air.

And the gap grows wider as you step into sports that don't get as much broadcast coverage here in the States.

For example, a site called WCSN provides live and on-demand coverage of dozens of Olympic sports. They don't cover the Olympics, per se, but instead all the competitions in these sports that occur between the Olympic Games. They are carried on some cable systems, but if you want the broadest range of content available at your disposal, the Internet's the only way to go.

A couple months back I wrote about a friend who while tech savvy claimed he hadn't stayed in the loops in terms of broadband applications, that is, until he admitted to me that he's discovered an IPTV provider through which he's able to get matches from the world's premiere soccer leagues.

And increasingly local sports coverage is finding a home online. One of the greatest success stories regarding the use of broadband I hear on a regular basis is that of small fiber-to-the-home providers like Jackson Energy and Hiawatha Broadband expending the energy to put local sports coverage online. From all accounts, this is a terrific way to introduce the possibilities of broadband in a package that people not only understand but truly demand.

I'm a long ways away from saying the Internet is gaining dominance over TV, but when you look at the coverage of sports, it's fast becoming obvious that the Internet is winning on the issue of choice. And this reality will only grow stronger as more content comes online, more viewers find that content, and the entire space matures to the point where every sporting event is available to be viewed live and on-demand online.