PGA Tour?s AT&T Byron Nelson Championship is ramping up its mobile outreach by giving tournament attendees access via smartphones to TV broadcast feeds without the use of cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity and displaying relevant social chatter on a clubhouse screen to deepen engagement with the contest on the links and golf itself.

Mobile features at the Irving, TX, tournament include LiveEventTV, which lets fans access the Golf Channel and CBS feeds through a UHF-signal device they attach to their phones, and a ?social wall? that will pull all social content from the tournament with the #attbyronnelson hashtag so that fans in the clubhouse can interact live with the action taking place on the course. The programs point to mobile?s ability to enhance live sporting events by providing valuable real-time information and boosting bonds with highly engaged fans.

?We?re always looking for ways we can mobilize the fan experience,? said Ryan Luckey, assistant vice president of corporate sponsorships for AT&T, Dallas, TX. ?The AT&T Byron Nelson is particularly special being so close to our Dallas headquarters. 

?We see this as a great opportunity to highlight the many ways we continue to make advancements in technology,? he said. 

The tournament, which will be played through Sunday at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas in Irving, also will deploy three cells on wheels to increase coverage and capacity for those on the course.  It will also have 145 TVs on site with AT&T U-verse service, the company?s online entertainment Web site. 

 

Tournament proceeds go to benefit Momentous Institute, a Dallas-based organization which helps children and their families achieve social emotional health so they can reach their full potential. 

The tournament, held each May and named after golf great Byron Nelson, is the leading fundraiser for charity on the PGA Tour and has raised more than $121 million.

 

?We know technology can play a big role in children?s education,? Mr. Luckey said. ?We?re working with the Momentous to test, improve and bring to market the best ed-tech solutions for classrooms across the country.? 

To use LiveEvent TV, the fan on-site first texts GETLETV to 55000 or downloads it from www.letvapp.tv. Then he or she rents a temporary UHF antenna for $20 with a $20 refundable deposit. With the app and the antenna, the user can follow the progress of a favorite player ? or other players ? via the live feed on their phones through a local UHF signal. No cellular or Wi-Fi signal is required. 

The social wall at the AT&T Digital Clubhouse is essentially a screen that displays social conversations taking place around the tournament with the hashtag #attbyronnelson. Fans can swing by to see what people are talking about at the event and join in on the conversations themselves.

In another mobile attraction, fans can visit the AT&T Fan Zone Tour Truck near the main entrance to try a simulator that demonstrates the hazards of distracted driving.

Other attractions include a Cadillac CTS-V that will be parked at the fan zone truck to let fans experience connected-car technology.

AT&T is becoming prominent in mobile and sports sponsorships. Last summer, AT&T Stadium, the home of the National Football League?s Dallas Cowboys, enhanced the in-stadium experience for visitors with a mobile application that guided them to seats, concession stands and bathrooms and even let them post photos to a 130-foot LED display screen.

The app followed a 50 percent ramp-up in cellular network capacity at the stadium in Arlington, TX.

AT&T?s mobile moves reflect an effort to satisfy consumers? demand for convenience and fast service accelerated by the proliferation of smartphones and the power of mobile to let people get what they want anytime.

?Our customers are always on the go and want to be connected,? Mr. Luckey said. ?These connections extend from the house to work to cars to attending sporting events like the AT&T Byron Nelson. 

?We all want to share our experiences with friends and family,? he said. ?As title sponsor of the event, we want to make this one of the most technologically advanced tournaments on the PGA Tour.?