Print

Mail

wiki links

Phone company deal aims to boost nation's baseball

Borrowing from the successful experience of the Baseball World Cup last year, Chunghwa Telecom (中華電信) and the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) yesterday announced a plan to provide Internet coverage of games.

Over 100,000 people were said to have watched live broadcasts of the event on the Internet last year, with 30 percent of viewers said to have been from abroad.

CPBL Secretary-General Wayne Lee said that after last year's World Cup fans were flocking back to the game and that the Internet service would further boost enthusiasm.

He said there had been a 51 percent increase in attendances and a 148 percent increase in gate income.

Fans are also taking advantage of technology to watch games on the Internet, particularly live-text broadcasting, he said.

Deputy general manager of Chunghwa's HiNet division Chung Mao-hsiung (鄭茂雄) said he looked forward to working with the CPBL and providing sponsorship for the Most Valuable Player awards.

Chung said, "With all the telecommunication resources we have, we are sure that we can promote a successful plan to promote baseball fever in Taiwan."

HiNet service users will also be able to tune in to live press conferences through the Internet.

A CPBL spokesman said that, "This breaks new ground in the two fields of baseball and telecommunications.

"Not only can fans access high-speed internet connections to our site due to the involvement of HiNet (which provides broadband width to CPBL's Website), but it also gives the opportunity of more involvement with players in a brand new interactive way."
This story has been viewed 4561 times.