MUMBAI: Fox Sports has announced that, for the first time ever, full-length games from the 2007 Tostitos bowl bash will be available on the internet via several digital download sites beginning 28 December.
Developed in partnership with the Bowl Championship Series, the complete content offering is a comprehensive collection of digital downloads made available online in association with a major sporting event. It also marks the first time that Fox Sports has made downloadable content available for sports fans on the Web, asserts an official release.
Fans can access the Tostitos Bowl Bash downloads by visiting Fox at http://Foxsports.com, http://direct2drive.com, Apple's iTunes, Amazon's Unbox, AOL Video, CinemaNow and Instant Media.
Fox Sports on MSN and Direct2Drive will also offer a comprehensive programming hub for the Tostitos Bowl Bash, including a free, live simulcast of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, which marks the first time a 1 January bowl game has been streamed live on the Internet, adds the release.
Through this digital distribution program, football fans will be able to purchase preview shows covering each of the BCS games airing on Fox Sports and also pre-order full-length games, highlight packages and Short Cuts - a condensed version that allows users to watch each game in approximately 20 minutes. Fans can purchase single-game highlights or a Best of the Bowl Bash highlight package that will feature the best plays from all five games in one program produced exclusively for digital distribution.
Fox Sports presidentd E Goren said, "Sports fans are consuming content on new and different platforms every day, and our goal is to expand the reach of Fox Sports and the BCS to as many of those media platforms as possible. By working with great distribution partners both within the Fox family and externally, we have given college football fans an incredible amount of choice when looking for official BCS content online."
Fox Sports Enterprises executive vice president Gary Ehrlich added, "Our goal is to expand the reach of the Bowl Championship Series through as many platforms as possible, and digital rights have become a more important part of the media mix every year. This content offering represents important first steps in digital delivery for both the BCS and Fox Sports, and we look forward to finding more ways to deliver sports content to fans via digital download in the future."
Preview shows will be available through all distribution channels starting 28 December and will in many cases feature both game overviews and team-centric preview packages. Though exact timing may vary, most full-length games will be available for download within 24 hours of a given game's completion, and several distribution partners will enable fans to pre-order any of the games starting 28 December.
Preview shows, Short-Cuts and the Best of the Bowl Bash highlight program is be priced at $1.99 each, while full-length games at $2.99. Every Bowl Bash full-length game and the Best of the Bowl Bash highlight package is priced at $19.99.
In addition, select retail partners will allow fans of participating teams to purchase all products related to a specific BCS Bowl game - including previews shows, the full-length game, the Short-Cut and the Best of the Bowl Bash highlight package for $6.99.
While serving as one of the distribution channels for downloadable BCS content, Fox Sports on MSN will also offer its users a wealth of free video and audio content related to college football's biggest week. The site will deliver free live audio streaming of four BCS games, provide pre- and post-game video reports from several bowl locations, and serve as the home for Fox College Bowl Pick 'em - the official fantasy game of the Bowl Championship Series.
"With more than a month of hype leading up to the games, college football fans are hungry for any and all BCS content in advance of the broadcasts. From pre-game shows to live game streaming, we are delivering the same great Fox Sports content to fans, whether they're tuning into the games on television or visiting us on the Web," said Fox Sports Interactive senior vice president Brian Grey.
