TiVo Inc. last week continued its pursuit of proprietary cable-network content for its broadband-based video downloading trial, reaching a deal to distribute college-football programming from College Sports Television.
Kicking off this week, subscribers to the digital video recording provider with TiVo Series 2 boxes can download, via broadband, six to nine CSTV-produced video clips leading up to the network’s Oct. 8 Navy-Air Force football telecast, according to TiVo director of corporate development Joshua Danovitz.
After the game, TiVo will make available additional video programming related to the contest. Overall, TiVo will make about one hour’s worth of CSTV programming available.
“If you’re not a CSTV subscriber, then you’ll still be able to get and enjoy CSTV programming,” Danovitz said. “We think CSTV is an exciting partner, and we see a lot of ways for TiVo to work with sports content in a similar way in the future.”
This pact marks TiVo’s second distribution deal with a cable network. In August, it teamed with Independent Film Channel to make downloads of the network’s first-ever scripted series — Hopeless Pictures, Greg the Bunny and The Festival — accessible to TiVo subscribers in advance of the shows’ debuts on the linear channel.
Although Danovitz deemed that trial “successful,” he declined to reveal performance numbers.
