BBC Sport has launched a Facebook application offering audiences live streams of major sports events, including Wimbledon and up to 24 streams of Olympics coverage.
The move marks the first time the BBC has live streamed events on Facebook.
Viewers can watch events with friends who are also online and chat together about the action as it happens, while comment threads under each stream enable users to take the pulse of reaction from the Facebook community in real time.
The in-app Activity Stream updates in real time to show users what their friends are watching, allowing them to discover new events.
A beta version of the app has launched for Wimbledon, offering BBC’s network TV coverage plus up to six extra match streams from across the courts, as well as comment threads and sharing features. Live chat functionality will be added in time for the Olympics.
Phil Fearnley, General Manager BBC News & Knowledge, said: “It’s a core part of the BBC’s mission to bring our quality content to audiences wherever they are, so I’m very excited to be able to offer sport fans on Facebook a really distinctive live streaming experience.
“With our Facebook app we aim to bring even greater value to our online audiences, enabling them to watch together and share their excitement. We hope to use it to test the benefits of social viewing, as part of our ambition to deliver more innovative and transformative experiences to sports fans.”
Alongside the new Facebook app, audiences can watch BBC Summer of Sport coverage online at bbc.co.uk/sport, on mobile and tablet, on connected TVs, and via the Red Button.
The BBC Sport site currently receives over 20 million requests for streaming content per month.
Facebook currently has more than 30 million monthly active users in the UK.
Access the app here (you need to be logged in to Facebook to access the app).
