Yanks3
02-22-06, 02:38 PM
YES Network, DIRECTV and MLB.com Team Up to Provide First-Ever Interactive TV Content for Major League Baseball, On The YES Network's New York Yankees Telecasts
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 22, 2006--
Starting in July, The YES Network Will Be First Television Network in the Country to Take Advantage of DIRECTV's Interactive Platform
The YES Network (www.yesnetwork.com), DIRECTV, Inc. and MLB.com have reached a multi-year agreement to offer the first-ever interactive TV content for Major League Baseball, on YES Network broadcasts of New York Yankees regular season games in its home telecast market starting in July 2006 -- only on DIRECTV.
With this partnership, the YES Network becomes the first regional sports network in the country to offer its viewers true, single-screen interactive content. MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, will be the source for the application's constantly updated statistics, scores, records and other data feeds.
YES' first-ever interactive programming offering -- including live, up-to-the-minute statistics, box scores and scoreboards, a bonus "StarCam" camera focusing on a particular star each inning, a daily interactive game and more, will result in an unparalleled viewer experience, enabling DIRECTV baseball fans to interact in real-time with other Yankees fans. The enhanced features will be available to DIRECTV customers living in the YES Network footprint at no additional cost.
"This is the latest step in our efforts to deploy new technology to enhance the YES viewer experience," said Ray Hopkins, COO, YES Network. "Yankees fans are among the most passionate and most knowledgeable fans, and watching the Yankees on YES is often a shared experience. Through this partnership with DIRECTV, we'll give fans a more customized, personalized telecast, one in which they can interact with fellow fans."
Key Components of DIRECTV Interactive Content on YES' Yankees Telecasts
-- Live, up-to-the-minute interactive scores of other MLB games
-- Live, up-to-the-minute interactive in-game, historical and league statistics
-- Instant access to live in-game box scores
-- A bonus "StarCam" camera focusing on a particular star each inning
-- A daily interactive game
-- Interactive access to season results for the Yankees, and their remaining schedule
"Only DIRECTV is providing sports fans with this kind of multi-layered level of interactivity," said Eric Shanks, executive vice president, DIRECTV Entertainment. "We raised the bar on interactive content with NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) and our MEGA MARCH MADNESS(TM) NCAA package, now we're excited to partner with YES Network and MLB.com to provide one of America's most passionate fan bases with a compelling way to follow their favorite team throughout the 2006 season with exclusive interactive content. Our interactive features will make it possible for DIRECTV to move Yankee Stadium, and other stadiums around the country, into the living rooms of Yankees fans living in the YES Network footprint. By adding a new level of personalization, information and convenience to the Yankees viewing experience, fans will always feel like they are at the ballpark without having to get up from their couch."
The YES Network (Channel 622) is available as part of DIRECTV's TOTAL CHOICE(R) monthly programming service to residential customers in the YES Network footprint, including New York and Connecticut, and areas of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. DIRECTV customers living in these areas must have an interactive-capable DIRECTV receiver to access the enhanced features.
The YES Network has been the most-watched regional sports network in the country for three years running (2003, 2004, 2005), and also finished 2005 as the most-watched sports network in New York in Primetime (defeating ESPN and ESPN2, along with the other New York regional sports networks).
During one stretch in September 2005, YES' Yankees telecasts out-performed many network premieres in key demos, including "ER," "Will & Grace," "Law & Order: SVU" and "The Apprentice" (NBC), "King of Queens," "Yes Dear," "Without a Trace" and "Two & a Half Men" (CBS), "Arrested Development" (FOX) and "Alias" and "According To Jim" (ABC).
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060222005721&newsLang=en
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 22, 2006--
Starting in July, The YES Network Will Be First Television Network in the Country to Take Advantage of DIRECTV's Interactive Platform
The YES Network (www.yesnetwork.com), DIRECTV, Inc. and MLB.com have reached a multi-year agreement to offer the first-ever interactive TV content for Major League Baseball, on YES Network broadcasts of New York Yankees regular season games in its home telecast market starting in July 2006 -- only on DIRECTV.
With this partnership, the YES Network becomes the first regional sports network in the country to offer its viewers true, single-screen interactive content. MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, will be the source for the application's constantly updated statistics, scores, records and other data feeds.
YES' first-ever interactive programming offering -- including live, up-to-the-minute statistics, box scores and scoreboards, a bonus "StarCam" camera focusing on a particular star each inning, a daily interactive game and more, will result in an unparalleled viewer experience, enabling DIRECTV baseball fans to interact in real-time with other Yankees fans. The enhanced features will be available to DIRECTV customers living in the YES Network footprint at no additional cost.
"This is the latest step in our efforts to deploy new technology to enhance the YES viewer experience," said Ray Hopkins, COO, YES Network. "Yankees fans are among the most passionate and most knowledgeable fans, and watching the Yankees on YES is often a shared experience. Through this partnership with DIRECTV, we'll give fans a more customized, personalized telecast, one in which they can interact with fellow fans."
Key Components of DIRECTV Interactive Content on YES' Yankees Telecasts
-- Live, up-to-the-minute interactive scores of other MLB games
-- Live, up-to-the-minute interactive in-game, historical and league statistics
-- Instant access to live in-game box scores
-- A bonus "StarCam" camera focusing on a particular star each inning
-- A daily interactive game
-- Interactive access to season results for the Yankees, and their remaining schedule
"Only DIRECTV is providing sports fans with this kind of multi-layered level of interactivity," said Eric Shanks, executive vice president, DIRECTV Entertainment. "We raised the bar on interactive content with NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) and our MEGA MARCH MADNESS(TM) NCAA package, now we're excited to partner with YES Network and MLB.com to provide one of America's most passionate fan bases with a compelling way to follow their favorite team throughout the 2006 season with exclusive interactive content. Our interactive features will make it possible for DIRECTV to move Yankee Stadium, and other stadiums around the country, into the living rooms of Yankees fans living in the YES Network footprint. By adding a new level of personalization, information and convenience to the Yankees viewing experience, fans will always feel like they are at the ballpark without having to get up from their couch."
The YES Network (Channel 622) is available as part of DIRECTV's TOTAL CHOICE(R) monthly programming service to residential customers in the YES Network footprint, including New York and Connecticut, and areas of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. DIRECTV customers living in these areas must have an interactive-capable DIRECTV receiver to access the enhanced features.
The YES Network has been the most-watched regional sports network in the country for three years running (2003, 2004, 2005), and also finished 2005 as the most-watched sports network in New York in Primetime (defeating ESPN and ESPN2, along with the other New York regional sports networks).
During one stretch in September 2005, YES' Yankees telecasts out-performed many network premieres in key demos, including "ER," "Will & Grace," "Law & Order: SVU" and "The Apprentice" (NBC), "King of Queens," "Yes Dear," "Without a Trace" and "Two & a Half Men" (CBS), "Arrested Development" (FOX) and "Alias" and "According To Jim" (ABC).
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060222005721&newsLang=en