Cool. The Sharks have a 4:30 p.m. game with the Panthers. Too bad
you'll be involved with this thing called work. And what about all those
great games you miss because of the lousy West-Coast coverage? Not to
worry, you can catch the game live on the Net. (We won't tell your boss.)
Many larger sports sites Webcast athletic events, and new streaming audio
technologies offer near-CD quality sound.
All you need is a modem,
a Net
connection, and the appropriate audio plug-in. Hosting sites usually provide a
link to download any
plug-in you need. Then click on the icon that says something like Tune In.
It's that easy.
If your favorite team is playing across the country or in the Eastern
Hemisphere, you may still be able to find it's audio Webcast. Radio Tower links to
several local radio stations. You can hear highlights from the Bulls' court
from WMVP Chicago, listen to previews from the Panthers' rink from WQAM 560
Miami, and catch recaps of the Vols' victories from WHBQ Sports 56 Memphis, and
lots more. To find international Webcasts, you can search and
browse.
If you're not sure which game is on at what time, several sites will give
you Net program schedules. Live Events, for example, works just like a
programming grid. First go to the bottom of the entire list and select your
preferences -- the subjects and times you're interested in -- and up pops a
corresponding list of Webcasts.
AudioNet's sports
programming and ESPN's Live Audio are other good sources for Webcast information.
If you want to see some action, you have a couple options, but,
trust me, you'd rather sneak away to your local bar for live TV coverage.
Can't get away? Sites such as Instant
Sports offer a Java-enhanced simulation of a baseball game
that's updated within a minute or two of the action in the ballpark.
Animated figures act out the players' moves. It's kinda like watching
Pitfall Harry run the
bases on a video for your old Atari. Monday Night Football Play by Play is another Java-based
application with which you can watch a video version "live."
Better still, SportsLine has teamed with VDOnet to Webcast video of a
sports event. Right now video sports coverage on the Net is sparse.
(That's what we have TV for.) But SportsLine boasts that it will continue to broadcast live sporting events
on the Net.
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