ESPN, NBC bring live Wimbledon coverage to mobile

By Dan Butcher

June 24, 2008

Big shots on small screen

ESPN Mobile TV and NBC Sports on NBC 2Go is airing 119 hours of live video coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament on MediaFlo USA’s FLO TV mobile service June 23 through July 6.

Available to AT&T subscribers as AT&T Mobile TV with Flo, the Flo TV service will let sports fans watch all of the matches at London’s All England Lawn Tennis Club live on AT&T wireless devices such as the LG Vu and the Samsung Access. This event follows five days of Flo TV’s mobile coverage of the most recent U.S. Open golf tournament.

“We believe that people who love TV should be able to enjoy their favorite news, sports and shows anywhere, and in a great mobile-viewing environment,” said Jackie Meyer, senior director of marketing for MediaFlo USA, San Diego. “That is exactly what we delivered when we launched our Flo TV service with Verizon Wireless in March 2007, and when AT&T started offering the service in May 2008.”

In addition to Wimbledon, MediaFlo USA, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, will continue to bring consumers sports programming from CBS, ESPN, FOX and NBC Sports on NBC 2Go throughout the year.

MediaFlo USA claims that it has delivered more than 3,000 hours of live sports coverage to mobile phones since launching the FLO TV service in March 2007.

The Flo TV service, available to consumers as AT&T Mobile TV, also features primetime, news, entertainment and children’s content from entertainment brands such as CBS, CBS College Sports, CBS News, Comedy Central, ESPN, Fox, Fox News, Fox Sports, MTV, NBC 2GO, NBC, NBC Sports, NBC News, CNBC, MSNBC, NickToons and Nickelodeon.

Recent programming highlights include "CSI" (CBS Mobile), "The Hills" and "Real World: Hollywood Season 20" (MTV), "Bones" (Fox Mobile) and NBC's "30 Rock." This lineup includes full-length simulcast and time-shifted programming.

Verizon Wireless and AT&T stores will promote the service and answer any questions consumers may have about it. There are also promotional portals on each carrier’s Web site.

“We continue to support Verizon Wireless’ and AT&T’s marketing initiatives as well as our own in the 58 major metropolitan areas in which we currently offer the Flo TV service,” Ms. Meyer said.

All programs on the Flo TV service are available to consumers through AT&T Mobile TV in major metropolitan areas nationwide including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, Seattle and Washington.

“We believe the immediacy of programming such as breaking news and live sports make the Flo TV service a unique offering to consumers,” Ms. Meyer said.