Apple TV Now Streams Live NBA, MLB Games

The Cupertino, Calif.-based company has signed an agreement with the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball, giving Apple TV customers the ability to watch live sports games online through the MLB.TV and NBA League Pass services.

The agreement is the latest activity by Apple around its connected-TV device, which competes with rival devices like Google-TV, Boxee and Roku to bring streaming online content to traditional TV sets. The company sees its Apple TV device, which initially failed to find an audience when first released in 2007, as a "hobby."

But Apple reintroduced the device last September, and sales reached the one million mark by December. Agreements like the recent deals with the NBA and MLB could indicate that Apple may soon be putting more effort into its connected-TV foray.

Apple could easily add Hulu Plus to its streaming services, which is already available on Apple's iPhone and iPad, as well as a variety of music streaming stations like Pandora. By adding more content, it could compete against similar devices like Roku, which undercuts Apple TV on price at $60 for a basic device, and Boxee, which has a clean, easy-to-navigate interface.

Any renewed effort by Apple could take advantage of its rivals' stumbles in the sector, particularly Google's troubles with its Google-TV effort. Google partnered with Sony to creat Internet-connected TV sets, introduced last fall, but sales proved slow for the expensive sets. The company was also plagued with criticisms of the slow operating system and attempts by broadcasters and services like Hulu to block their content from the device.

However, Google hasn't given up in the race to bring Internet video content to living rooms. Through its YouTube subsidiary, it is also in talks with the NBA and NHL to bring live sports streaming to the YouTube site.

Both Apple and Google are seeking one major competitive advantage lacking from most streaming services: live sporting events, which have been the primary province of broadcast and cable TV networks. Most video streaming sites and services focus on TV and movies, including Netflix, the clear leader in the video-streaming market.

The MLB.TV package for Apple TV costs $100 a season for users, or $120 for an enhanced version. The NBA Apple TV has two options as well: for $65 a season, they can select seven teams to watch, and for $100, they will have access to all teams.