DirecTV Rolls Out Interactive Services

DirecTV, the largest satellite TV service in the United States, is known for its “NFL Sunday Ticket” programming featuring nearly all the professional football games in America each week. The company decided to try out its new advanced interactive services on that sports-loving audience. More than 125 high-definition (HD) broadcasts of 2004 “NFL Sunday Ticket” regular-season games will appear on DirecTV this fall for those who purchase both a DirecTV subscription and its HD system equipment.

Among the technological and interactive enhancements to this year’s subscription package is “Enhanced Games,” providing four additional game channels for “NFL Sunday Ticket” customers. They can watch one game and see real-time scores, alerts when teams playing in other games are in scoring position, and time clocks from the other contests. Subscribers also will be alerted when a game starts, when possession of the ball changes and when a team scores.

Another new feature is “Highlights on Demand,” allowing subscribers with a DirecTV Digital Video Recorder (DVR) or HD DVR receiver to view highlights of all “NFL Sunday Ticket” games delivered automatically to their DirecTV DVR. These game highlights would be available each Monday, fully edited and narrated to approximately two minutes in length for each game.

Also new this season is a wrap-up of all the games, hosted by NFL on FOX announcers James Brown, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson. That service would be available only to “NFL Sunday Ticket” subscribers who have the DirecTV DVR equipment.

Yet one more new feature is “GameTracker,” offering customers alerts on their computers when games heat up so they can tune to the right game at all the key moments. Subscribers not only will be able to track their favorite NFL teams, but they also can monitor all of their favorite sports teams, including baseball, basketball and college football. The GameTracker offers sports headlines, player news and box scores.