By Gary Anderson

YouTube is set to broadcast live action from a Commonwealth Games for the first time in history this month ©AFP/Getty ImagesViewers around the world will be able to watch live action from Glasgow 2014 online via an official YouTube channel for the first time in Commonwealth Games history.

A dedicated Games channel will be streamed on the official Glasgow 2014 YouTube channel providing non-stop coverage of events, which organisers say will concentrate on the best live sport available with regular short highlights from around the 13 venues.

The channel will run from the start of the first significant action each day to the end of the last live competition and will be followed by a two-hour long highlights show on the same day.

All the sports, events and venues will be clearly explained so viewers not previously familiar with the Commonwealth Games will get quickly up to speed, according to organisers.

The YouTube coverage will be available in countries where Glasgow 2014 retains internet rights, meaning extensive availability will exist across Europe, the United States, South America and parts of Asia.

"A single Commonwealth Games YouTube channel, streaming live, will extend the reach of the Games like never before and give sports fans the world over an opportunity to enjoy the thrill of the action that will be on offer across 11 days of world-class sporting competition," said Glasgow 2014 chief executive, David Grevemberg.

YouTube, which was bought by internet giant Google in a £962 million ($1.65 billion/€1.2 billion) deal in 2006, is an official partner of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).

Fans around the world will be able to watch live action and highlights from Glasgow 2014 via the official Games YouTube channel ©YouTubeFans around the world will be able to watch live action and highlights from Glasgow 2014 via the official Games YouTube channel ©YouTube



CGF chief executive Mike Hooper commented: "I'm very pleased that the CGF and Glasgow 2014 have for the first time formally partnered with Google and YouTube to make these the most social and digital Games ever."

Glasgow 2014 is set to be the most watched Commonwealth Games in history with a global audience of more than 1.5 billion predicted to tune into events taking place in the Scottish city.

The Games, which run from July 23 to August 3, are set to be the first to be broadcast in all 71 Commonwealth nations and territories.

Last week, organisers announced highlights package deals with CBS Sports Network  and TV Asia in the United States, while Television Jamaica will show live action as well as daily highlights in the Caribbean and Americas regions.

These follow on from previously confirmed deals with the BBC for the United Kingdom, Network Ten for Australia, Sky Network Television for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, the Dubai-based TAJ TV for the sub-continent of India, SuperSport throughout Sub-Sahara Africa, the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union across Asia,  SABC for South Africa and CBC in Canada.

The deal with host broadcaster the BBC will also see non-rights holders in the United Kingdom permitted to use up to 90 seconds of Games footage from authorised sources per day, and the use of six short extracts per day on websites, mobile websites and mobile apps.

The Glasgow 2014 YouTube channel is already live and can be viewed here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related Stories
July 2014: 
Glasgow 2014 to reach global audience of 1.5 billion with new TV deals
June 2014: BBC to share footage of Commonwealth Games with other UK broadcasters
May 2014: BBC reveals details of biggest ever digital Commonwealth Games at Glasgow 2014
May 2014: South African Broadcasting Corporation to provide coverage of Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
March 2014: Glasgow 2014 announces CBC/Radio Canada as broadcast partner for Commonwealth Games