February 2008
CAMBRIDGE, MA - Akamai Technologies, Inc., the leading global service provider for accelerating content and applications online, will serve as the exclusive provider for Turner Sports' live and on-demand Internet coverage of the National Basketball Association's All-Star Weekend events and games.
Akamai will support Turner's live and video on demand streams, as well as the increased interactive Website features enabling fan participation, running through Sunday, February 17 in New Orleans.
The Website content will be featured on the network's broadband channel, TNT OverTime All-Star Access on NBA.com and will serve as a compliment to the exclusive television coverage available on TNT.
The Adobe Flash® video format is growing in popularity as a way to incorporate rich, interactive content and enhance online experiences, resulting in visitor retention and increased brand awareness. The strength of the Akamai platform enables it to deliver live video experiences in the Adobe FLV video format instantly and with unrivaled quality, without buffer times, equaling a high-quality online experience to meet the high standards required of the Turner brand.
In the last year, Akamai has delivered more Live streaming for Flash than any other Content Delivery Network.
"We all know that sports fans are eager to interact online during major sporting events like the All-Star Weekend festivities and we look forward to enhancing their experience this year," said Lenny Daniels, senior vice president of new media and production, Turner Sports.
"Not only are fans going to be able to watch the action on television as well as online, but they can also interact with other viewers and control their own viewing experience.
This is the first time we are offering so many live and interactive Internet features and we are confident Akamai's network can handle the demands required by unknown amounts of concurrent users."
"High quality video on the Internet has arrived and on a scale that requires a distribution platform only Akamai can provide. Akamai works closely with our customers to pioneer how live events can be watched, enjoyed and consumed online," said Tim Napoleon, Chief Strategist, Media & Entertainment at Akamai.
"We're truly at a turning point where geographic and economic boundaries are no longer a factor in global audiences being able to watch and participate in events around the world. As content owners explore and experiment with new distribution channels, live broadband video is a viable alternative to expand their distribution and more directly control their revenue."
"We are looking forward to the day when broadcast-sized audiences will see live, online programming as commonplace. The Internet continues to revolutionize our lives and Akamai is proud to support our customers as they reach these milestones."
Want to see what 24 hours of creative awesomeness look like? Click here.
This news message is supported by The Creative Finder, an online platform for photographers, illustrators, designers, and art directors to promote their portfolios towards new clients and collaborators. Creatives who wish to sign up for an account can save 10% off annual fees with promo code 'designtaxi'.
