Yahoo! and Fifa panned for web streaming 'own goal'

Yahoo! and Fifa should rework their deal with KirchMedia so they can stream game highlights of the World Cup at a time that suits Europe's office workers.

That's one of the recommendations from Forrester Research which has produced a wide-ranging critique of http://www.fifaworldcup.com, a joint venture from the sport's governing body and Yahoo!.

Echoing views expressed by silicon.com last week (http://www.silicon.com/a53440 ), Forrester believes the two organisations have missed a trick by showing match highlights "when nobody is watching". The report states: "By offering the service from 17:30(CET) onward, the VIP Club [the site's subscription streaming service] does not cater for many European football fans: office workers."

Forrester does not call for live streaming but it recommends earlier access to footage.

"The net won't cannibalise TV," the report continues. "The original deal to delay online videos till hours after each game was constructed out of a fear of losing TV viewers, but the facts show that, in general, active net users don't watch less TV. Fifa and KirchMedia should use the VIP Club to whet the appetite."