Mobile TV

Verizon Wireless strips NFL sponsorship from Sprint

Verizon Wireless announced a four-year sponsorship agreement with the National Football League, promising subscribers a wealth of NFL content highlighted by live streaming coverage of NBC's marquee Sunday Night Football broadcast. A Verizon spokesperson confirmed to FierceMobileContent that the deal makes Verizon Wireless the league's exclusive mobile media partner as well as its official wireless service sponsor, roles previously filled by Sprint, which prominently featured the NFL in its own advertising efforts.

The Verizon/NFL deal officially kicks off with mobile coverage of the 2010 NFL Draft, which begins Apr. 22--during the regular season, Verizon will introduce to mobile the NFL Network's NFL RedZone channel, which supplies live look-ins of every touchdown and signature play from the Sunday afternoon games. In addition to NBC's Sunday Night Football, Verizon will also simulcast the NFL Network's own Thursday Night Football matchups, with the cable channel's related football programming airing live 24/7/365.

Verizon's NFL Mobile package is also slated to include on-demand video and analysis from the NFL Network and NFL Films, fantasy information, news and statistics, and customizable alerts, ringtones and graphics. Verizon adds that information on specific handsets and associated pricing will be announced in August, prior to the start of the regular NFL season.

Sprint initially launched NFL Mobile in the fall of 2005, upgrading to the NFL Mobile Live application--complete with live radio broadcasts of all regular season games as well as all eight Thursday Night Football matchups--three years later. According to Sprint, the NFL Mobile Live app set the company's single-day record for downloads on Sept. 7, 2008, the first Sunday of the NFL campaign.

For more on the Verizon Wireless/NFL deal:
- read this release

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CBS adds 3G support to March Madness app for iPhone

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CBS announced the addition of 3G/EDGE support to its CBS Sports: NCAA March Madness on Demand application for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch. The app, which promises live streaming CBS television and Westwood One radio coverage of the annual men's college basketball championship tournament, made its App Store debut last year--developed in partnership with mobile video solutions provider MobiTV, the app was previously limited solely to WiFi connections. The addition of 3G support corresponds with a price increase--CBS Sports: NCAA March Madness on Demand will now cost $9.99, up from $4.99 a year ago.

According to CBS, NCAA March Madness on Demand spans all tournament matchups from the opening round (tipping off Mar. 18) to the title game (Apr. 5). MMOD also boasts on-demand highlights of all games, previews, a real-time tournament bracket and news headlines. Users can additionally sign up for alerts on their favorite teams, upsets, buzzer beaters and overtime games, as well as sign in to Facebook and Twitter to talk trash.

For more on the revamped NCAA March Madness on Demand app:
- read this USA Today article

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