Overland Park, Kan. ? 03/12/2007 Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced a variety of college hoops content available to its wireless customers, enabled by the nation's largest and most powerful mobile broadband network. Sprint customers will enjoy approximately 300 shows ? or 10 hours ? of up-to-the-minute college hoops updates in Sprint Power View and a handset-based tournament bracket tracker.
Deep Bench on Sprint Power View*
Sprint Power View ? the industry's first and only made-for-mobile sports, music and entertainment video programming network ? will provide comprehensive tournament coverage to Sprint customers. Viewable via the stand-alone Sprint Power View Java application or Sprint TV (channel 35), highlights in the "College Hoops" folder include:
- Sprint Insider's Bracket: available today. Top-rated coaches from around the nation ? John Calipari (Memphis), Billy Gillespie (Texas A&M), Rick Pitino (Louisville), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin), Bill Self (Kansas) and Gary Williams (Maryland) ? will provide insightful analysis of all 32 first-round tournament matches. Each program will last approximately one minute in length, helping hoops fans make informed bracket picks.
- Sprint Tournament Center: shows begin March 15. Hosted by respected sports journalist Chris Rose, Sprint Tournament Center programs will cover every aspect of the tournament, from opening tipoff to the final buzzer. Rose will be joined in this studio-based production by top college basketball experts ? including legendary coaches Perry Clark and Matt Doherty, along with B.J. Armstrong, Stacey King and Steve Smith ? to analyze each game, provide instruction clinics, answer fan questions and more. In the final weekend of the tournament, veteran sports reporter Laura Okmin will file reports back to the studio, giving on-the-ground and up-to-the-minute insight from Atlanta.
- March Madness Coaches Preview: available March 13, 20 and 27. These weekly shows will feature top college basketball coaches ? including those eliminated from the tournament ? and will offer more in-depth analysis of games, identify upset potential and more.
- Bracket Buster Upsets: as major upsets occur during the tournament, these shows will analyze the game and highlight the underdogs' efforts.
- Scores: live every minute of men's tournament play. Residing within the "College Hoops" folder of Sprint Power View, this data-driven scoreboard will track each and every game, showing the current score and summarizing the last five plays. GameCenter updates once per minute, making it the perfect companion for those unable to watch games as they unfold. The GameCenter scoreboard is viewable only via the Sprint Power View Java application.
- Alerts: the Sprint Power View application offers real-time text message alerts, based on customers' individual interests. For instance, fans can choose to be notified as new team-specific content is posted in Sprint Power View, or be reminded when their favorite teams are about to play. Notifications of "Bracket Buster Upsets" are also available.
College Hoops Portal
This convenient portal, available by texting the word "HOOPS" to 7777* or via the Sprint Vision/Power Vision "Sports" page*, collects all Sprint college hoops content (including links to Sprint Power View shows described above), including:
- College Hoops Pick 'em Bracket: This interactive bracket, available today at no additional charge to Sprint data plan subscribers, provides customers the ability to predict the entire tournament, all the while awarding points for each correct pick. Between March 12 and March 14, Sprint customers can input their bracket choices; no further edits are allowed after March 15.
- Sprint customers can also show love to their alma matter by purchasing a variety of personalized content. For example, Sprint offers hundreds of college-themed screen savers ? from the Air Force Falcons to the Wyoming Cowboys. Hundreds of college-themed songs are also available as ringers, including victory marches and fight songs. Most of these songs can entertain incoming callers, through Sprint Call Tones ? the service that replaces the boring old "ringing" sound that people hear while they wait for Sprint customers to answer their mobile phones. This content is available for preview and purchase by visiting the Sprint Digital Lounge, at sprint.com/digitallounge.
