TechnologyCrowd

The following explanation of what ESPN360.com is can be found at the website in the FAQ section

ESPN360.com is a broadband network for live sports programming. ESPN360.com harnesses the quality ESPN has built through its TV networks and delivers online sports programming to fans through a rich, interactive, and easy-to-use experience.

ESPN360.com broadcasts thousands of live games and events online each year. A majority of the events are exclusive to ESPN360.com, while others are broadband-enhanced versions of games from one of ESPN’s TV networks.

ESPN360.com is only available if it is provided by your Internet Service Provider and is provided free on college campuses and military bases.  For a list of affiliated providers check out the list here.

I discovered ESPN360 when it was listed next to the scores at the bottom of the television programming.  Once I got to the site and installed the Move player to launch it I realized that there is a lot of additional games available that cannot be seen on the local television program.

Basically ESPN360 offers all GamePlan College Football games and all FullCourt College Basketball games for free along with additional exclusive events.    Overall, that means over 300 college football games and 1,000 college basketball games this season.  Most ESPN television broadcasts are also available which is nice feature on my Media Center PC now that Comcast requires a cable box to view cable programming in my area and I am not willing to pay for it on my PC.

Blackouts do apply for some local broadcasts based on local restrictions, but I have found this to be rare for the items that I am interested in.

With the live games, you can pause during the broadcast and rejoin just like using a DVR.  Along with live games you can also watch replays of recently played games.  The length of availability is typically at least 24 hours and can be as long as a week depending on the event.

As you can see in the screenshot, the default view provides the main game screen with a mosaic along the bottom with other available games.  You can play the video live in the mosaic screens, but in my experience the small screens are very choppy and normally not worth playing.

On the right side of the screen, there are tabs to display the ESPN360 schedule, Section 140 chats, Scores, or Key Stats from the game.  I personally like to keep the Scores up so I can see if there is another game to jump to.

There is also an option to make the main video larger while keeping the option on the right side, and the option that I use the most, full screen.

The video quality in the smaller screens is excellent, I can barely tell the difference from the TV broadcast.  In full screen mode, it is not quite as clear, but it is still very good quality and I have very little issues with lag or skipping when I am watching a game.

Personally, I am surprised that ESPN360 does not get the press in the technology world that video sites like Hulu and YouTube get.  The technology of providing live games is much more impressive to me than providing replays of existing programming.

Add in the fact that ESPN360 is free for consumers as long as the carrier is affiliated and it is a huge plus.  I have subscribed to ESPN GamePlan years ago and missed it when I could no longer have DirecTV after moving, but now I am able to get all of the programming for free.

With the recent news about ESPN beginning to offer 3D programming with the World Cup in 2010 after providing this excellent feature, it is clear that they are moving in the right direction to expand their distribution.  I highly recommend ESPN360 to any sports fans that are able to access it.