Contact:
Mary Griswold
212/450-2068
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NFLE-10: 4/2/97
NFL AND
ESPNET SPORTSZONE TEAM TO PROVIDE
INTERNET COVERAGE OF 1997 NFL DRAFT
NEW YORK, NY - - The National Football League, with its broadcast partner ESPN and leading Internet producer Starwave Corporation, have launched a special area on the World Wide Web to provide online coverage of the 1997 NFL Draft (April 19-20). The NFL Draft area can be accessed from NFL.COM (http://nfl.com) and ESPNET SportsZone (http://ESPNET.SportsZone.com).
Coverage will feature:
- The "DraftTracker," which enables fans to analyze draft picks in real time, sorting by player, position, NFL or college team and other variables.
- Live audio feeds from ESPN Radio, player press conferences and draft selections from the podium.
- Continuously updated photos from draft headquarters.
- Live chats with drafted players and analysis Gil Brandt and ESPN personalities.
- An online diary by Ohio State cornerback Shawn Springs.
- Scouting reports on more than 500 draft prospects.
- Multimedia clips on dozens of the top draft prospects.
- Player profiles and statistics.
- Mock drafts.
- Mel Kiper’s Top 50 prospects with video.
- Chat rooms for fans.
"We’re excited to be working again with our partners ESPN and Starwave to bring in-depth coverage of the draft to our fans online," said Ann Kirschner, vice president, NFL Interactive. "The Internet enables us to satisfy both the avid fan looking for a comprehensive source of information as well as the casual fan wanting an inside look at the draft from any location around the world."
"Only SportsZone and NFL.COM can provide this kind of detailed information on all the intricacies of the draft; the players, teams, positions and schools," said Geoff Reiss, vice president of sports publishing at Starwave. "For the serious football fan, it’s an essential."
The Internet-based coverage of the draft will be produced by NFL Enterprises’ interactive unit and ESPNET SportsZone. Sprint, the official Internet access provider of the NFL, is the exclusive sponsor of the "DraftTracker" feature of the site.
Contacts:
Mary Griswold, NFL, 212/450-2068
Vinny Vassallo, ESPN, 860/314-4196
Jennifer Yazzolino, Starwave, 206/957-2026