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FOXSports.com and Motorola Let You 'Coach from Your Couch' Via Wireless
Posted by WDN, January 25, 2002
Virtual Coach Goes Wireless on Internet-Enabled Phones, Putting Football
Fans and Couch Potatoes Even Closer to the Action -- Proteus Technology Enables Wireless Voting on TV Broadcasts
FOXSports.com and Motorola (NYSE: MOT - news) will make ``armchair'' football coaches out of mobile
phone users during the upcoming championship games by giving FOX Sports
television viewers the ability to register their opinions and game play
predictions through Internet-ready wireless devices in addition to personal
computers.
Virtual Coach on the FOXSports.com website enables cutting-edge viewers to
vote on action from the game, controversial moments in the game or to make
other predictions. Now, with technology from Motorola and Proteus, a
leading
Internet development and consulting firm, fans will be able to vote without
leaving the couch with just a few clicks on the keypad of any web-enabled
wireless device.
Further enhancing the experience, those who use their Internet-ready
wireless devices during timeouts will also be able to play exclusive
football-themed episodes of two popular trivia game shows: SMUSH? and the
best-selling, award winning You Don't Know Jack?. Both games were created
and developed by Jellyvision, Inc. Hungry fans can also check out Dominos
menu items and specials and then order their favorite pizza via Motorola's
mobile shopping technology for web-enabled devices. Whether they are
voting,
playing games or ordering pizza, fans won't have to leave the comfort of
their couches.
The pull of virtual polling on FOXSports.com
FOXSports.com's highly popular virtual polling feature debuted during the
2001 Major League Baseball World Series, with questions like, ``Are the
Yankees done in the Series?'' and ``Who has the edge going into Game 7: the
Yankees or D-Backs?'' Over 100,000 viewers participated in the online
polls.
FOX Sports anticipates that virtual polling will offer significant growth
opportunity for the entire industry. Teaming it with wireless technology
brings a new dimension to the television-viewing experience, expands the
audience, and creates the possibility of new revenue for advertisers.
``Wireless technology will make our virtual polls on sporting events even
more popular by making it more convenient to participate,'' said Ross
Levinsohn, senior vice president and general manager of FOXSports.com. ``We
believe FOX Sports offers its viewers different ways to enjoy our
broadcasts, and this application will allow them to take the excitement of
the Virtual Coach online experience to another level.''
Motorola is a world leader in wireless technology. This pioneering
opportunity to bridge television content with wireless technology was a
perfect fit with the company's mission to bring intelligent solutions
everywhere that consumers may want them. The wireless Virtual Coach
application is an example of ways that Motorola leverages distinct media
channels such as the television, the Internet, and the mobile web to create
``infotainment'' solutions that increase user fun. Motorola infotainment
solutions include polling, games, mobile commerce, advertising and
couponing
among other leading leading-edge mobile applications.
``Football fans have become more familiar with Motorola by seeing our logo
on the wireless headsets used by head coaches,'' said Tim Krauskopf,
vicepresident of product management for Motorola's Internet Software and
Content Group. ``Now, our wireless solutions will increase fans' enjoyment
by letting them become even more involved in the game. We are delighted to
join with FOX Sports and Proteus on a fun project that has tremendous
possibilities for the adoption of wireless data applications.''
``The visibility of professional football's championship game will surely
advance the usage of wireless devices in conjunction with TV broadcasts. By
adding a wireless Internet element we will greatly increase the
accessibility of the application to the viewing audience,'' said Patrick
McQuown, president of Proteus. ``We are thrilled to be helping to define
the
future of television with Motorola and FOXSports.com. Not only will the
application give a new voice to viewers, it will expand the revenue
opportunities for broadcasters.''
FOXSports.com, on wireless
From Internet-enabled wireless devices, viewers can answer questions they
will see on television during the game. They will all also see overall poll
results on their devices in addition to seeing them on air. To use this
feature, they need only bookmark fs.tv on their wireless devices. Once the
site is bookmarked, viewers can vote with only a few clicks on the mobile
device keypad. To learn more about the wireless Virtual Coach, please visit
www2.foxsports.com/motorola.
About FOXSports.com
FOXSports.com (www.foxsports.com) is owned and managed by Fox Sports
Networks, a subsidiary of Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corp.
It a comprehensive and entertaining online source of sports news,
information, listings, games and special features about programming on FOX
Sports, Fox Sports Net, FX, Fox Sports Radio and much more from the world
of
sports.
FOXSports.com recently entered into a multi-year agreement with Lycos to
provide a co-branded site. The companies have combined forces to jointly
develop and sell integrated media sales and sponsorship packages,
subscription services, direct marketing programs and special event
promotions.
About Motorola
Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT - news) is a global leader in providing
integrated
communications and embedded electronic solutions. Sales in 2001 were$29.5
billion. Through its wireless software solutions, Motorola provides
customizable content and services that help transform any Internet-enabled
mobile device into an ``extension'' of the user's personality and
preferences. Please visit www.motorola.com for more information. Visit
fs.tv
on game days on your Internet-ready phone.
About Proteus
Proteus is a leading Internet professional services firm with offices in
Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, CA. Proteus has been developing
dynamic, scalable Internet, wireless and interactive television
applications
using Oracle and Java technology since 1996. Clients who have benefited
from
Proteus' technology, strategy, and creative services include Fortune and
Global 500 companies such as, Washingtonpost Newsweek Interactive,
Motorola,
BMW and ExxonMobil Corporation. More information about Proteus can be found
at http://proteus.com .
CONTACT: WildPackets Inc.
Ronnie Holland, 925/937-7900
ronnie@wildpackets.com
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