-- Allows tennis fans around the world for the first time to access match scores, schedules and news from the courts via wireless devices --
Can't get to the 2000 US Open this year in Flushing, N.Y.? With new technology from IBM, the US Open now can come to you. Whether soaking up the sun at the beach over Labor Day weekend, sitting in a meeting at the office or heading out for the evening, tennis fans can now follow the action of the US Open from virtually any location, at any time.
The US Open is the first major sporting event in the United States to offer extensive, up-to-date information - via handheld devices like Web-enabled mobile phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) - to fans in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Using IBM technology, fans will be able to access in real time the latest happenings, including match scores, schedules, and news from the courts. Instructions for wireless access to US Open info can be found at: www.usopen.org/interactive/wap/.
"Technology continues to enhance the fan experience," said Pierce O'Neil, Chief Marketing Officer of the United States Tennis Association. "It's exciting to be able to offer wireless access to the news and information from an event this large for the first time to tennis fans around the world, enabling even more fans to stay connected to the action. Our partnership with IBM continues to broaden our capabilities."
Tennis fans can configure their own Internet-capable wireless device (if they are Internet-capable wireless subscribers) using the Official WAP Site address for the US Open: wap.usopen.org.
Once wirelessly connected to the US Open site, fans can access tournament news from a menu offering four choices:
-- Schedule of Play - displays updated schedules each day for all matches on all courts. -- Scores - consists of two sections:
- Matches in Progress - displays scores for current live matches;
- Results by Court - relays results for each court, including
current matches, upcoming matches and completed matches; -- News - provides several bulletins throughout each day of the tournament;
-- About - presents and explains IBM's role as official Information Technology and Internet Supplier of the 2000 US Open, a role IBM has held for the past six years.
The mobile Web is a priority for the USTA and IBM, which contributes its expertise in "pervasive computing" technology and services to support enterprises dedicated to the next wave of e-business.
"As mobile technology becomes a greater part of our everyday lives, businesses and organizations wanting to reach their customers need to offer information services in both fixed and mobile environments," said Jon Prial, Director of Marketing Strategy, IBM Pervasive Computing Division.
IBM, as official Information Technology and Internet supplier of the 2000 US Open, provides the equipment and services for results and statistics collection; supplies information and graphics to television broadcasters and media; and distributes tournament data through information stations located around the USTA National Tennis Center. As an extension of this information processing system, IBM has installed the programming interface, equipment and networking infrastructure to allow this and other information to be transferred to the official 2000 US Open Web site, making it accessible to the world through the Internet.
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