Comcast Tips Off X1 Sports App for March Madness

Comcast has launched basketball “Extras” for its X1 Sports app as the NCAA March Madness men’s college basketball tournament tips off today.

The interactive app, which appears on the big screen amid the live action, provides in-game, team-by-team stats such as steals, rebounds and fouls, as well as a view of the updated tournament bracket. Post-game, the app will provide a recap of the matchup, including by-quarter scores and the "Xfinity Player of the Game.”

Comcast said a future update to the app, to launch in time for the tournament’s Final Four, will pull up full team rosters and detailed individual player stats, including shooting percentages by court location.

The technology powering the app is from OneTwoSee, the Philadelphia-based startup that Comcast acquired earlier this month.

Comcast has been using the vendor’s tech for apps that sync up with NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball games, with plans on tap to do the same for soccer and National Hockey League games

 About 35% of Comcast’s video base is on X1, a number that could push 50% this year, Comcast CEO and chairman Brian Roberts said at the recent Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in San Francisco.