Verizon – Page 9

NFL: Thursday Night Games Average 450,000 Online Viewers

December 26, 2011 by Paul Kapustka 1 Comment

In case you were still wondering whether or not online access hurts regular-television audience numbers, here’s another data point to confirm that it doesn’t: The NFL said Monday that TV views of its Thursday night NFL Network games is up 8 percent over last year, while its online audience is averaging 450,000 unique views per game.

The 450,000 number isn’t broken down between viewers of the streaming coverage at NFLNetwork.com or folks watching via Verizon Wireless’s NFL Mobile app, but either way the aggregate total is impressive, and a signal that there may be even more of an appetite for NFL content than was previously thought.

With the Super Bowl slated for online streaming, it is the guess of MSR that the days of online access being a novelty have ended and now an online outlet will become the norm rather than the exception. How that plays into rights contracts and teams’ marketing campaigns is something still in its infancy, but it will be a compelling story we’ll follow closely in 2012.

Filed Under: iPad, iPhone, Live sports via mobile, Live Sports Video Consumption, NFL, NFL Mobile, NFL Network, Super Bowl, Verizon Wireless Tagged With: Apps, Live sports via mobile, NFL, Verizon

Verizon’s Turkey Day Turkey: No Live Games as Promised on NFL Mobile

November 24, 2011 by Paul Kapustka 1 Comment

UPDATE: Verizon Wireless rep Debi Lewis (@VZWDebi) finally got back to us to let us know at noon Calif. time that only the Thursday evening game (Niners-Ravens) would be on NFL Mobile live. To those of you who believed the Verizon tweets from earlier in the morning, hope you enjoyed those NFL Network canned shows instead of live NFL action.

Verizon was promotiong its NFL Mobile app pretty heavily going into Thanksgiving day, promising free live broadcasts all day long so that you could watch on your phone at the dinner table or maybe while making pie. Here are some of the gratuitous promotional tweets:

Why are you thankful for #NFLMobile FREE Thanksgiving weekend? 5 live games? NFLRedZone Sunday afternoon? That it’s FREE all weekend?

November 24, 2011 9:00 am via Social Publisher ReplyRetweetFavorite

@VerizonWireless

Verizon Wireless USA

Who’s gonna win, @packers or @DetroitLionsNFL? See it FREE on #NFLMobile, only from VZW. Call **NFL to watch. Msg & data rates may apply.

November 24, 2011 10:30 am via Social Publisher ReplyRetweetFavorite

@VerizonWireless

Verizon Wireless USA

But then Green Bay and Detroit kicked off, and woe… no live action to be found. My NFL Mobile app was showing some lame collection of Thanksgiving highlights. And other fans were getting steamed too:

The Packers Lions game is not on #NFLMobile right now… I checked. What’s going on @VerizonWireless?

November 24, 2011 10:36 am via UberSocial for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@_csquared

courtney

We’ve sent several direct tweets to Verizon wireless reps and the support Twitter handles… but no replies yet. To me the lack of any kind of response or any way for consumers to find out what the problem might be is a social media fail of the predictable kind: Big company (Verizon) takes advantage of Twitter and Facebook as a free way to promote their service or product, but isn’t really “engaged” with the audience to respond in any fashion if things go sideways.

I think people understand that trying to make NFL games appear on a phone is an incredible, hard task. People would be willing to endure mistakes or blips. But only if there was someone to own up to it. Silence is the worst kind of marketing, Verizon.

Anyone else able to see the game via NFL Mobile? Or know if this is some kind of regional blackout thing?

UPDATE 2: Saw this post from Verizon Wireless later in the afternoon on Twitter. Now it’s three games instead of five. What’s next Verizon, no pie?

Why are you thankful for #NFLMobile FREE Thanksgiving weekend? 3 live games? NFLRedZone Sunday afternoon? That it’s FREE all weekend?

November 24, 2011 3:07 pm via Social Publisher ReplyRetweetFavorite

@VerizonWireless

Verizon Wireless USA

Filed Under: Live sports via mobile, NFL, NFL Network, Verizon Wireless Tagged With: NFL, Verizon

Early Verdict: NFL Mobile Rocks

November 20, 2011 by Paul Kapustka 3 Comments

We finally upgraded our Verizon-based handset here at MSR headquarters this weekend, and just in time to catch some of the Sunday night game via the NFL Mobile app. For the record we have the Samsung Stratosphere, not the latest or greatest Android phone but one with a slide-out keyboard which is a necessity for me.

With the MSR grade-school contingent in the household busy watching the Aristocats on DVD, we dialed in the Stratosphere with the sound muted down and checked out NFL Mobile, and was supremely impressed. Not only did it show the Sunday night Eagles-Giants game in pretty good definition it didn’t stutter or pixelate — and we were able to use the home Wi-Fi so that the data didn’t count against our cellular plan.

After trying out several other options earlier this year, like the ESPN GameCast text play by play and the NFL.com highlights/text option it is clear that if you are an NFL fan and are at a decision point on your cellular provider it’s hard to pick anyone else but Verizon. Earlier today we watched the NFL RedZone on the phone and it was again impressive — and only about 30 seconds behind the live RedZone broadcast on cable. So it’s a perfect couch companion, letting you watch your game of choice on the big tube while keeping RedZone open on the phone to let you know if and when you need to flip channels.

We will reserve a final judgement until we have to use NFL Mobile on the cellular network and then see how much data live watching chews through. But for now mark us as a happy NFL fan who has a great new tool for mobile viewing, that being Verizon Wireless’s NFL Mobile app.

Filed Under: 4G LTE, Live sports via mobile, Live Sports Video Consumption, NFL, Verizon Wireless Tagged With: Android, Live sports via mobile, NFL, Verizon, Wi-Fi

Verizon’s ‘Double Data’ Plans Good News for Mobile Sports Fans

November 15, 2011 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment

If you are in the market for a 4G phone, here’s an early Christmas present — Verizon Wireless is currently offering double the downloadable data for its 4G LTE phones, the devices that run on Verizon’s new, speedy Long Term Evolution-based network.

Due to its exclusive deals like NFL Mobile, which allows it to offer live NFL games to its cell phone customers, Verizon is a leader in the mobile-sports world but previously we wondered if customers might chew right through their monthly data plans by watching a full live NFL game or two. While we still don’t have a definitive answer on how much data you use watching live video, at least now you can get twice the buffer for the same price.

At the top end, Verizon Wireless has an $80 per month data plan that used to get you 10 GB of data, and under the new promotion it will get you 20 — which should be more than enough for all your live-sports video needs. There are lower pricing and data tiers as well. Verizon also has the widest selection of 4G phones, including the new Motorola Droid Razr, as well as some models introduced earlier this year (like the well-received HTC Thunderbolt) which can now be had at reduced prices.

Verizon Wireless also offers exclusive coverage of the NHL, as well as local apps for NFL teams like the Chicago Bears and the Buffalo Bills. While we would still prefer that cellular providers give you real unlimited data plans, those days are mostly gone. For sports fans, Verizon’s double-data promotion is a good deal if you are in the market or ready to upgrade.

Filed Under: 4G LTE, Apps, Motorola, NFL, Verizon Wireless Tagged With: Android, Live sports via mobile, NFL, Verizon

Verizon: MNF a ‘Big Draw’ for NFL Mobile App

November 7, 2011 by Paul Kapustka 6 Comments

The ability to watch Monday Night Football on your phone — like tonight’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears — has drawn a lot of new fans to Verizon Wireless’s NFL Mobile app, according to a company executive in charge of the service.

“The NFL Mobile app is very popular, and we continue to see growth [in user numbers],” said Mitch Dornich, Verizon Wireless marketing director for entertainment and sponsorships, in a phone interview. Though Dornich would not disclose updated subscriber numbers, last year Verizon reportedly had at least 4.5 million of its wireless customers using the NFL Mobile app — a number that has almost certainly grown thanks to the addition of live Monday Night Football games to the app’s premium-service tier this season.

“Last year, we had Thursday night games, Sunday night games, the NFL Network shows and the RedZone,” said Dornich. “This year we added Monday Night Football and it’s been a big lift. RedZone as a companion device during other broadcasts and Monday Night Football seem to be our biggest draws.”

Audio Broadcasts Also Popular

Though Verizon’s promotions of the NFL Mobile app center around live video and the company’s new, fast 4G LTE network, it is good old audio broadcasts that account for another big chunk of NFL Mobile use.

“Audio consumption is very high, probably because it’s the perfect companion if you’re doing something like driving, where you can’t watch the screen,” Dornich said. With both home and away audio broadcast choices NFL Mobile can satisfy fans of either side of any NFL contest, and couples the live audio with instantly updated text play-by-play.

According to Dornich, many Verizon wireless customers may start out with the basic free version of the NFL Mobile app, which supports features like the audio broadcasts and play-by-play, and then upgrade to the premium version after getting a taste of the video choices available. Verizon added some video-on-demand features, like in-game highlights, to the basic package this season and Dornich guessed the appetizer has enticed many fans to upgrade for the full meal deal.

For Verizon customers with 3G phones that support video (like the iPhone 4 or the iPhone 4s) the premium NFL Mobile package requires a $10 per month “Verizon Video” fee in addition to any other data plan.

“This year we put the VOD into the basic package so people could see the value,” Dornich said. Verizon is also waiving the $10 monthly fee for the rest of the 2011-12 season for customers who purchase 4G LTE phones. In and of itself, the NFL Mobile app is a bit of a promotional tool for the 4G LTE network, Dornich said.

“It’s really good for us, because [the NFL Mobile app] helps us differentiate our network from the competition,” Dornich said. “It shows customers what the network is capable of.”

Technical Challenges: Getting Good Video to Handsets

One of the biggest challenges for Verizon is optimizing the video streams to the many different handsets that are supported, which include Android smartphones as well as a long list of BlackBerry devices. “It’s not just about delivering the highest bit rate, since you may deliver something that a handset processor could choke on,” Dornich said. “The challenge for us is how to optimize the stream, so it’s right-sized for a particular handset.”

Though the NFL Mobile app is not yet supported on what is fast becoming the couch potato’s favorite companion device — the Apple iPad and its tablet imitators — Dornich said to “stay tuned” for news about iPad and NFL Mobile.

Verizon also takes care to alert potential NFL Mobile heavy users that watching a lot of video on your phone may be hazardous to the health of your monthly data plan. “We are always pretty clear up front that high usage [of NFL Mobile video] may impact your data plan,” Dornich said. One way fans can keep data consumption under control is to seek out Wi-Fi hotspots when they know they are going to watch a lot of video, Dornich said.

Verizon Wireless, which also has mobile apps for fans of the National Hockey League and IndyCar auto racing, said it is happy with the results of its $720 million deal with the NFL, which gives Verizon exclusive rights to cellphone viewing (though fans with other paid packages, like DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket or the Slingbox can also watch their services via a mobile connection).

“We’re very happy with the agreement,” Dornich said. “Our expectations have been validated.”

Filed Under: 4G LTE, Apps, iPad, iPhone, NFL, Sling Media, Verizon Wireless Tagged With: Android, Apple, Apps, iPad, iPhone, Live sports via mobile, NFL, Verizon, Wi-Fi

Highlights, Verizon NFL Mobile Twitter Chat with Pittsburgh Steeler LaMarr Woodley

November 1, 2011 by Paul Kapustka 1 Comment

I’m getting a little bit addicted to these “Twitter chats” hosted by Verizon Wireless and its NFL Mobile app. However I do find them a little hard to follow in real time since the delay between the fan-tweeted question and the NFL player reply is often interrupted by a bunch of new tweets — meaning that you tend to lose the question before you get the answer. Our solution? Highlights! Call us the SportsCenter of Twitter chats. We don’t mind. Here’s some of the better exchanges between fans and Pittsburgh Steeler LaMarr Woodley, who is a Twitter animal — looks like he replied to every question posted.

Has anyone checked out #NFLMobile? Watch the @steelers from ur phone on Sunday 11/6 at 8:20pm EST. #NFLMobile

November 1, 2011 6:11 pm via webReply RetweetFavorite