ABC Sports and AOL Partner with NFL for Exclusive Online Service

Strategic Insights -

ABC Sports and America Online have announced a three-way partnership with the National Football League (NFL) to create the first official NFL online service, "Team NFL," exclusively available on AOL. The service will provide comprehensive information to fans during the regular season, playoffs, and the 1996 Pro Bowl game.

Key Takeaways:

  • ABC Sports will produce the online area for the NFL, including message boards, exclusive live chat events, team profiles, and player stats.
  • The service will be accessible through AOL's Sports channel, with a dedicated area called "Team NFL."
  • Fans will be able to vote for players selected for the Pro Bowl online via AOL.
  • The partnership confirms ABC's commitment to quality programming in the interactive online market.
  • Team NFL will be available on AOL in October, preceding the 1996 Pro Bowl.
  • The NFL is the first sports league on the Internet, with an existing site on the World Wide Web (http://nflhome.com).
  • ABC Sports has produced several online areas for AOL in the past, including the 66th Major League All-Star Game, the official NHL Stanley Cup area, and the ABC Sports Equibase Winner's Circle.
  • The NFL has a distinct presence online, with an extensive area dedicated to its programming and personalities.
  • America Online has over 3.5 million subscribers and offers a range of services, including electronic mail, conferencing, and software distribution.

Statistics:

  • 3.5 million: The number of America Online subscribers at the time of the announcement.
  • 1985: The year America Online was founded.
  • 2,500: The number of people in AOL's global workforce.
  • 1994: The year ABC Sports began providing online services to AOL members.
  • 1995: The year the NFL became the first sports league on the Internet with its creation of a World Wide Web site.
  • 18 September 1995: The date of the press release announcing the partnership.

Sources:

  • PRNewswire: ABC Sports and America Online Partner with the National Football League to Create Exclusive Online Service.
  • Team NFL (NFL home page on the World Wide Web)