SAN CARLOS, CA--(Marketwire - September 15, 2008) - More consumers flocked to the Internet to
access paid and subscription-based sports content during the Summer 2008
season than any prior season, according to MediaZone, a leading online
global broadcaster.
The findings are based on an in-depth review of MediaZone's subscription
and pay-per-view data compiled across its extensive selection of
hard-to-find and premier sports video programming online.
MediaZone CEO Glen Marques attributes the highly successful summer season
to a growing library of sports content online, new interactive features
that augment traditional television coverage and an Internet population
that views the web as a must have tool for accessing sports and
entertainment content.
"While many traditional broadcasters have been reluctant to embrace the web
for fear of cannibalizing their existing audience, MediaZone has always
believed that the interactive, real-time and dynamic nature of the web is
ideally suited for sports enthusiasts," said Marques. "The 2008 Summer
Sports Season not only proved this belief, but also took it a step forward
by demonstrating that consumers are willing to pay for premium or hard to
find sports content."
In 2008, MediaZone extended its broadband sports lineup with the addition
of IndyCar Race Control, the most interactive racecar viewing experience in
the world. The company has also bolstered its long-standing international
rugby coverage of annual tournaments with the launch of RugbyZone.com and
renewed its partnership with the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
(AELTC) as the official online broadcaster of The Championships at
Wimbledon.
Wimbledon LIVE Draws Largest Paid Audience in 2008
Since its debut in 2006, Wimbledon LIVE has joined March Madness and the
Masters as mainstays on the broadband sports circuit as consumers have
increasingly embraced the Web for hard to find sporting events or coverage
that expands on traditional broadcast offerings. In its two previous years,
MediaZone's coverage of Wimbledon has set tennis industry records for site
visitors, live streams and downloads, while tripling its revenue since
2006.
This year was no exception with Wimbledon LIVE emerging as the most
successful paid sports event of 2008.
2008 Wimbledon LIVE highlights included:
-- More than 200,000 hours of live video streams and 3.5 million
streaming sessions delivered
-- 326 full length match video files streamed and delivered on-demand
-- More than 7 million downloads throughout the event
-- More than 1 million live feeds
-- Revenue and Subscriptions up 30% over 2007
Wimbledon LIVE experienced unprecedented traffic driven by demand for
coverage of the epic final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The
match was the longest match in Wimbledon history and included a number or
rain delays and coverage interruptions. Wimbledon LIVE filled this gap with
continuous audio and video feeds and additional content for fans seeking
the latest news and developments from the tournament.
Ultimately, more than 8 million people visited Wimbledon LIVE consuming
more than 203 thousand hours of live and on-demand tournament coverage.
IndyCar Race Control: Introducing User Controlled Viewing Experience
Beyond simply streaming races online, MediaZone's IndyCar Race Control took
an important step forward, allowing fans to get the total racing experience
all in one place. Throughout the Summer's IndyCar series, fans could select
and switch in-car cam views while simultaneously analyzing top drivers
throughout the race, as well as read the latest blogs from IndyCar Series
drivers and teams.
RugbyZone Debuts to Strong Demand
Dovetailing on a successful broadcast of the 2007 IRB Rugby World Cup
through a partnership with the International Rugby Board, MediaZone
launched RugbyZone.com, the first rugby destination to provide a completely
integrated, broadband multimedia experience while catering to an
underserved rugby fan base worldwide that has had limited access to the
sport's most anticipated, championship-class matches. RugbyZone.com's
first weekend saw a 20% increase in video consumption, and a 50% increase
in traffic.
RugbyZone delivers exclusive LIVE and On Demand access to more than 275
matches from the Tri Nations, June Tests, Celtic Tests, Super 14, 2009
Lions Tour, Currie Cup, Heineken Cup, Air New Zealand Cup and North
American Rugby competitions to fans in more than 200 countries, including
the USA.
About MediaZone
MediaZone offers the largest selection of hard-to-find and premier sports
video programming online. Incorporating interactive community features and
delivering the most sought after sports content and events from around the
world, MediaZone is the destination of choice for sports fans who want to
follow the action and engage with other enthusiasts 24/7 through the latest
in online technologies and programming innovations.
MediaZone has partnered with leading media brands including AOL and NBC
Sports and are the official online broadcast partner for major events such
as Wimbledon, Rugby World Cup, Indianapolis 500, New York City Marathon,
and FIM Motocross of Nations. To learn more about MediaZone's exciting
events and to join one of the fastest growing and most exciting sports
communities online go to www.mediazone.com.