EL SEGUNDO, Calif., and NEW YORK Aug. 20, 2007 — As the use
of interactive TV features continue to grow in popularity among
tennis fans,
DIRECTV, USA Network and USTA are serving up an array
of feature upgrades to the innovative US OPEN INTERACTIVE On USA
Network only on
DIRECTV service.
The first-ever interactive TV coverage of a major U.S. tennis event
when it was launched last year,
US OPEN INTERACTIVE will
significantly expand USA Network's national coverage of the 2007 US
Open during the tournament's first five days, beginning Aug. 27.
DIRECTV customers will have access to more than 300 hours of
tournament coverage that includes up to 100 additional matches, and
for the first time, interactive features will be available on USA
Network in addition to five other channels covering matches on
featured courts. Viewers will also have access to more detailed
match coverage information.
"Tennis fans throughout the country are rapidly embracing
DIRECTV's
interactive technology as the best way to watch tournament action
and thoroughly immerse themselves in the feature-rich coverage that
is available only on
DIRECTV," said Eric Shanks, executive vice
president of
DIRECTV Entertainment. "The marketplace is recognizing
the value of these unique services, and
DIRECTV is excited to be
working with a forward-thinking broadcaster like USA to deliver them
directly to its audience."
"The success of the US Open INTERACTIVE on USA on
DIRECTV last year,
showed us that consumers are responding to interactive television,"
said Henry Ahn, executive vice president, NBC Universal. "Through
this partnership with
DIRECTV, we are able to provide consumers with
the most robust US Open television experience available anywhere."
Free to
DIRECTV customers, the
US OPEN INTERACTIVE service expands
USA Network's national coverage of the 2007 US Open to include
access to more early round matches, statistics and information on
demand, and the ability to view up to five matches simultaneously on
a special US Open Mix channel, with live onscreen scoring of all the
matches. Viewers with interactive receivers will be able to
highlight each cell to hear live audio specific to the cell's
featured match, and can bring any match full screen at the push of a
button.
In addition to the functionality offered in 2006, the 2007
US OPEN
INTERACTIVE service will offer tennis fans the following upgrades to
enhance functionality and increase the overall value of the service:
- Two new interactive on-screen features will provide detailed
match coverage information, allowing viewers enhanced navigation
through the many matches available on the service.
- A "Matches On Now" feature will offer a list of the matches
currently taking place, the scores of each match and the DIRECTV
channel on which the match is featured. Users will be able to
tune directly to any match.
- A "Matches on Later" feature will list full match schedules
for each of the five featured courts, including start times and
channel numbers. Users will also be able to tune directly to any
of the respective channels using this feature.
- While USA's national broadcast of the Tournament will sign off
between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. daily, DIRECTV will continue to offer
the conclusion of any matches that began prior to 5 p.m.
- During breaks in the on-court action, DIRECTV's expanded
coverage will include live interviews and press conferences taking
place in the U.S. Open press room at Flushing Meadows.
Customers can view US OPEN INTERACTIVE coverage starting at 11
a.m. on each of the tournament's first five days.
