ARCHIVES: This is legacy content from before Marketing Dive acquired Mobile Marketer in early 2017. Some information, such as publication dates, may not have migrated over. Check out the new Marketing Dive site for the latest marketing news.

Showtime Sports revamps digital offerings with HTML5 site

Showtime Sports is rolling out a new mobile experience that lets fans catch up with their favorite sports, regardless of what device they are on.

Showtime Sports has steadily been building its mobile repertoire over the past year with a focus on mobile Web. Showtime Sports is working with Canvas on this initiative.

 ?It's an excellent example of delivering a robust amount of content in a consistent yet elegant manner across multiple platforms,? said Matt Garrity, director of business development at Canvas, New York.

?We see a big future for this type of responsive or adaptive design and its implications for mobile,? he said.

?Sports fans are used to an incredibly fast cycle of changing content. Mobile is crucial to matching the user's demands for accessibility.?

Cross-screen solution
The new Showtime Sports site is available at http://sports.sho.com/.

Content on the site is stacked vertically and features a rotating carousel at the top of the page that fits the size of the screen when flipped from a vertical to horizontal position.

The site?s menu bar lets users find content from categories such as video and photos.

One of the main sports that Showtime features is boxing. Via the site, users can view a list of upcoming matches, which includes links to share content through Twitter, Facebook and Google +. Consumers can also check-in on GetGlue.

Each event listing also lets users view a social media dashboard where they can see what others are saying about the match via Twitter. Additionally, side-by-side charts break down stats on the athletes, such as age, weight and fight history.

Showtime Sports? Split Decision mobile game is also promoted on the site. The game lets sports fans essentially predict the outcome of upcoming fights to collect points and vie for the chance to win prizes.

Showtime Sports? content is also pushed through the mobile site with articles and embedded videos.

Companion devices
Television is mobile?s newest companion.

Given Showtime?s focus on premium sports content for subscribers, offering consumers an additional touch point through a mobile site is a smart way to keep fans interacting with content while they are watching TV and leading up to matches.

The new site relaunch follows Showtime Sports? launch into mobile last year with an optimized site. The company rolled out a mobile site last year in conjunction with a new Web site. The mobile site included approximately 80 percent of the company?s desktop content (see story).

?Complementing the TV experience is a top priority for Showtime Sports,? Mr. Garrity said. ?Their audience is prone to mobile engagement.

Imagine the fan who is tuning in for a boxing fight ? they are checking stats, fighter bios and video highlights leading up to the ring of the bell,? he said.

?Split Decision is the perfect example ? it's a mobile web companion experience that allows the fans to interact with the specific events. It's a compelling way to complement the live-viewing experience. The ease of mobile helps make this possible."

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York