Launched on Friday 1 June 2007, the new FIFA.com aims to take soccer to a new level on the internet. Fans all over the world will enjoy an abundance of content on the new site, but will also have the opportunity to interact with each other about the world’s favourite topic of conversation, the Beautiful Game. Following a resounding success with 4.2bn page views on the official website of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany during the month of the final competition, which was a world record for a sporting website, the new FIFA.com has merged FIFA’s previous websites (FIFA.com and FIFAworldcup.com) and added an array of content to it. As well as the very latest news, in-depth features, interviews, statistics, fixtures, results, etc, the new site will also offer an unparalleled free video offering and a large, interactive community space, embracing the most significant evolutions in the interactive world for the benefit of soccer lovers worldwide. Available in the four official FIFA languages (English, German, French and Spanish) as well as the ‘host language’ depending on the competition (e.g. Korean for the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup and simplified Chinese for the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup), the new FIFA.com has also been developed in compliance with the WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative) guidelines for people with disabilities. The site also serves as a unique gateway to a vast range of FIFA activities from Ticketing and Accommodation for all FIFA Events to the Media Channel, as well as information about the various Local Organising Committees for their respective competitions. The new FIFA.com has been produced by the FIFA New Media department, supported by an alliance led by Delta Tre and including NTT Europe Online and Entriq.
New soccer deals increase Zebtab reach
Two key signings have increased Zebtab’s reach among global soccer fans in the run up to the new Premiership season in the UK. The direct to desktop channel will offer users both content from the Setanta Sports web portal and non-club soccer website 4thegame.com. These new content deals follow the recent signing of Chelsea FC (pictured right courtesy of Getty Images Sport/Alex Livesey), the first Premiership Club to sign up to Zebtab. Setanta has secured rights to live Premiership soccer from the start of next season amid a much anticipated relaunch of its web portal on 30 July.
WSCN in YouTube deal
World Championship Sports Network (WCSN) has signed deals with both AOL and YouTube. WCSN’s content agreement with YouTube will deliver original sports programming to the YouTube community. WCSN's branded YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/wcsn) will feature a multitude of Olympic and lifestyle sports and events that WCSN covers. WCSN also announced the availability of high-quality, original sports video and video segments featuring more than 60 different sports, including cycling, gymnastics and Taekwondo, on AOL Video at http://video.aol.com/wcsn.
NBC goes mobile
NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies and MobiTV, a provider and platform for content delivery over mobile and broadband networks, have announced launched NBC Sports Mobile to the MobiTV service. The two companies celebrated the channel launch with live coverage of the 2007 US Open Golf tee-off with Tiger Woods on Thursday, 14 June 2007. NBC Sports Mobile made its entrance on the mobile platform with a live feed of the 2007 US Open Golf Tournament and continued to bring coverage of other live events throughout the Open. The NBC Sports channel will also offer coverage and highlights to mobile subscribers from Wimbledon and the NFL, among others.
Fast Track strikes gold
Fast Track, the London-headquartered broadcast rights, sponsorship, communications, consultancy and event marketing agency, has been appointed to represent the International Broadcast Rights of the Organising Committee of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games. Fast Track and its predecessor API - both owned by former Olympians Alan Pascoe MBE and Edward Leask - have had an involvement with every Commonwealth Games since 1990. The most recent being the Melbourne 2006 Games for which Fast Track delivered record levels of rights income and broadcast distribution not only within the 71 Commonwealth nations and territories but from such non-Commonwealth countries as the US, the Middle East and across much of Europe.
Plucky new service launched
Self-proclaimed UK-based ‘cultural and sporting betting information site’ Chickendinner (chickendinner.co.uk) has teamed up with Betgenius (betgenius.com), which runs leading odds comparison site Bestbetting, to launch OddsChicken, a simple to use odds comparison service that will compliment Chickendinner's daily output of social and sporting information. OddsChicken contains up to 15,000 fully up-to-date odds on events ranging from 'who will win Big Brother' to 'where will Thierry Henry be playing next season'. Every conceivable bet in every major sport, reality TV and politics is scanned to deliver the best odds at that moment. Chickendinnner articles will now include live, best odds on its editorial page, allowing users to click directly through to the best deal currently available - if they intend to bet. Chickendinner is the first website launch from online media company Grand Parade, which was founded by Andy Clerkson and Ed Needham.
Virtual sailing from Alcatel-Lucent
As the official New Media Provider of the 32nd America's Cup (pictured right courtesy of Getty Images Sport/Kos Picture Source), Alcatel-Lucent has expanded into the virtual realm with the opening of Port AmericasCupAnywhere on Second Life, the 3D virtual world phenomena entirely built and owned by its residents. Coinciding with the final round of sailing competition in early June 2007 in Valencia, Spain, the announcement followed Alcatel-Lucent's launch earlier in 2007 of AmericasCupAnywhere, a unique suite of new media services which enable sailing fans globally to enjoy all of the sailing action whenever and wherever they want via the internet and mobile devices. At Port AmericasCupAnywhere, Second Life residents can watch live animated coverage of the sailing competition and access daily archives of racing action. Port AmericasCupAnywhere is also hosting a virtual regatta for the Second Life sailing community, allowing residents to take the helm of an America's Cup class boat in virtual fleet and match racing. Linking the real and virtual worlds, Port AmericasCupAnywhere also includes demonstrations of Alcatel-Lucent's enhanced portfolio of AmericasCupAnywhere new media services which are providing video and 3D animation and gaming coverage of the 32nd America's Cup for sailing enthusiasts from more than 150 countries during the 2007 regattas. Alcatel-Lucent further announced that 30 customers are now offering AmericasCupAnywhere new media services. As a result of these agreements, which augment Alcatel-Lucent's direct subscription service, sailing fans in more than 150 countries can experience the final round of competition whenever and wherever they want via internet and mobile devices.
ESPN acquires Cricinfo
ESPN has reached a deal to acquire Cricinfo, the world's largest cricket website, from The Wisden Group for an undisclosed sum. The move is thought to be part of the US broadcaster’s push to grow its global presence in online sports reporting.
NHL player Dany Heatley gets social
ilivesports.com, a new social networking website catering to athletes of all ages and abilities has signed up NHL player Dany Heatley from the Ottawa Senators. Heatley finished fourth overall in the NHL scoring with over 100 points during the regular season and currently leads all scorers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 21 points. ilivesports.com has also recently signed James Driscoll of the Nationwide Golf Tour; Rene Bourque of the Chicago Blackhawks; Chad Barrett, of the Chicago Fire (major league soccer team); and Brad Bower, starting quarterback for the Ohio University football team. Meanwhile, FIBA has entered into a partnership deal with online sports media company Sportingo. FIBA has recognised the value of fan involvement and Fiba.com provides an outlet for the sport's global following to express views and comments. Sportingo is a fan-generated website for fans to submit articles that are professionally edited and once published are open to fans to comment and rank. FIBA's partnership with Sportingo is an extension of its commitment to basketball supporters in enabling them to enhance their writing experience on Fiba.com. Once fans have signed up to the service they submit articles that are professionally edited and then posted up on the FIBA and sportingo.com sites. Credits for articles go to the writer. FIBA's partnership with Sportingo will ensure that articles reach a global audience of basketball fans. Submissions will include profile pieces about leading players, nostalgia, posts on matches and tournaments and comparisons of styles according to country.
UK soccer sites in revamp
More than 4m soccer fans from England and Wales are set to enjoy a newly enhanced experience from their club’s official website following the news that FL Interactive, a subsidiary of The Football League, is to launch the next generation of official websites for its 78 participating clubs. FL Interactive manages and develops the internet and mobile rights for 65 Football League clubs, seven Premier League clubs and six clubs from the Football Conference (including Exeter City’s website), with sites being viewed by more than 4.1m unique users per month. In launching the roll-out of the new websites, which will see each club have a new, improved, website in place in the coming months, FL Interactive chairman, Ian Ritchie, said: “FL Interactive is the largest football [soccer] information service in the UK and our official club websites generate more than 49m page impressions every month.
Page from ArkSports' Sport and Technology (www.sportandtechnology.com) on 2008-11-21 : News - June 2007 : http://www.sportandtechnology.com/news/0503.html
Two key signings have increased Zebtab’s reach among global soccer fans in the run up to the new Premiership season in the UK. The direct to desktop channel will offer users both content from the Setanta Sports web portal and non-club soccer website 4thegame.com. These new content deals follow the recent signing of Chelsea FC (pictured right courtesy of Getty Images Sport/Alex Livesey), the first Premiership Club to sign up to Zebtab. Setanta has secured rights to live Premiership soccer from the start of next season amid a much anticipated relaunch of its web portal on 30 July.
As the official New Media Provider of the 32nd America's Cup (pictured right courtesy of Getty Images Sport/Kos Picture Source), Alcatel-Lucent has expanded into the virtual realm with the opening of Port AmericasCupAnywhere on Second Life, the 3D virtual world phenomena entirely built and owned by its residents. Coinciding with the final round of sailing competition in early June 2007 in Valencia, Spain, the announcement followed Alcatel-Lucent's launch earlier in 2007 of AmericasCupAnywhere, a unique suite of new media services which enable sailing fans globally to enjoy all of the sailing action whenever and wherever they want via the internet and mobile devices. At Port AmericasCupAnywhere, Second Life residents can watch live animated coverage of the sailing competition and access daily archives of racing action. Port AmericasCupAnywhere is also hosting a virtual regatta for the Second Life sailing community, allowing residents to take the helm of an America's Cup class boat in virtual fleet and match racing. Linking the real and virtual worlds, Port AmericasCupAnywhere also includes demonstrations of Alcatel-Lucent's enhanced portfolio of AmericasCupAnywhere new media services which are providing video and 3D animation and gaming coverage of the 32nd America's Cup for sailing enthusiasts from more than 150 countries during the 2007 regattas.
