Verizon and the NFL announced the continuation of their broadband partnership, which brings NFL Network games to Verizon’s broadband customers. Verizon initially offered this service during the NFL pre-season. The games are available online to customers who subscribe to both Verizon broadband service (FiOS or DSL) and Verizon TV service (FiOS or DirecTV). NFL Network Game Extra features include the ability to choose from multiple camera angles, chat features, a game statistics feed, and on demand video highlights. I would imagine that many users of this service will probably watch both – watch the game on TV, while simultaneously interacting with the broadband version to take advantage of the features it provides. Recent research from Nielsen Media reveals that online video viewing often occurs simultaneously with television viewing (check out my Light Reading blog post on this issue). This service seems ideal for that scenario.

NFL Network Game Extra is a great example of a value added differentiated service. It’s exclusive to Verizon customers, creating an element of competitive advantage. One problem though. I’m a Verizon FiOS customer, with both TV and Internet service. I’m the ideal customer for this type of feature, and would value it greatly. Yet I haven’t received any communication from Verizon notifying me of it. The only reason I know about it is because of my role as an industry analyst and blogger. I called two friends who also are huge sports fans and subscribe to Verizon Internet and TV – neither knew about this service, which started today. What good is a value add service if you can’t even communicate its existence to the very customers who would probably value it the most?

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 30, 2008--Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced that it will become the first wireless carrier to offer live NFL game telecasts starting Nov. 6 when NFL Network televises the first game its eight-game schedule. Sprint will be the only wireless carrier to offer the NFL Network game telecasts via its exclusive NFL Mobile Live application and on Sprint TV, free of charge to Sprint data subscribers. Read More ...

We keep seeing snippets of the future of entertainment. Verizon announced one, with their NFL Network Game Extra service, now being provided to Verizon video and wireline broadband subscribers. Viewers of the service are given a “virtual control booth” enabling them to watch live, online broadcasts of NFL Network preseason and Thursday Night Football games while selecting from multiple camera feeds. Subscribers will have access to alternate camera angles and live audio feeds and have the ability to view one of four camera angles on demand, or all four angles simultaneously. Other features include:

• live online chats with other NFL Network Game Extra viewers during the live games
• game statistics, highlights and drive-chart simulations during the games
• on-demand video highlights of the games
• special events, such as college bowl games and college all-star games including the Insight Bowl, Texas Bowl and Senior Bowl

Unfortunately, the service is limited to the pre-season and is only viewable on-line through their broadband connection. The optimist in me hopes it’s a start of what will eventually become standard television viewing. I remember first learning about IPTV back in the late 90’s, and the idea of viewers being able to control multiple camera angles of sporting events was always cited as a forthcoming feature that will offer competitive differentiation. While this Verizon illustration isn’t quite that vision yet, it appears to be heading that way. I recognize that this vision is not unique to IPTV. Verizon isn’t a true IPTV player to begin with, and DirecTV has been experimenting with similar features for some time. But it is illustrative of the potential of entertainment and broadband convergence features. Features that all video and multi-play service providers will need to understand and leverage to the best of their ability.

The NFL Sunday Ticket package from DirecTV has always offered great competitive advantage for DirecTV, and now they are making things even more interesting. The 2007 season will add broadband and mobile viewing options to the ‘NFL Sunday Ticket Super Fan’ package. The Super Fan package is a $99 upgrade to the $269 base NFL Sunday Ticket package. It offers 180 NFL games in high definition, as well as access to all games via the DirecTV.com website. In addition, Super Fan subscribers can receive real time highlights of NFL games on mobile phones.

DirecTV has exclusive rights for the Sunday Ticket package through 2010 and claims around 2 million subscribers for it. Sunday Ticket has been effectively used by DirecTV for subscriber acquisition and certainly contributes to their subscriber loyalty. These new features will only enhance this leading value add feature and DirecTV will soon begin a marketing blitz to introduce the new package. Unfortunately, all their competitors can do is watch.