Rivals.com also said that the company and News America Digital Publishing, producer of FOX Sports Online, have signed a letter of intent for a broad strategic alliance with Rivals.com, including an equity investment in the company. Rivals.com has raised over $30 million in the past six months from investors including Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, Intel Corporation and The Phoenix Partners.
``Rivals.com is committed to creating the highest quality network of sports team community channels for fans who want to go deep with their favourite teams 24 hours a day, seven days a week,'' said J.C. Heckman, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Rivals.com. "With only one click, sports fans can immerse themselves in their team site and take control of our exclusive and powerful Rivals.com Database, which includes statistics plus on-demand digital
video of game highlights and interviews of more than 3,000 players and counting."
``News America Digital Publishing and Rivals.com are working to develop a broad strategic alliance and investment in Rivals.com, which should be a great win-win relationship. Once the deal closes, sports fans on Rivals.com team Web sites will be able to link directly to FOX Sports Online netcast content. Rivals.com will provide FOX with our exclusive team and player videos, statistics and news for use on their Web sites and network,'' added
Heckman.
Rivals.com has established equity partnerships with more than 350 Web sites, including unofficial college and pro URLs, the nation's leading college recruitment experts and over 70 key sports publications. The company also j announced a multi-year title sponsorship of the annual ``Rivals.com Hula Bowl Maui Official All-Star Game of NCAA Football,'' which is held in January.
``The primary lure of the Rivals.com sports network is its exclusive information and community. The business payoff will come via advertising and e-commerce revenues through our ability to directly reach the coveted demographic of 18- to 49-year-old men through our highly targetable network of branded team sports Web sites,'' said John Uppendahl, Rivals.com Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications.
