Kangaroo.TV brings mobile video to NFL

By Ken Kerschbaumer

While one mobile video service comes to an end today another, Kangaroo.TV, continues to expand. The company, which has found success with a handheld device at NASCAR races thanks to Sprint/Nextel spectrum and in-car video and radio, is looking for similar success in with the National Football League.

This season it s testing a new service in Dolphin Stadium in Miami and FedEx Field in Washington, DC, that will let fantasy football addicts use the Kangaroo.TV device to watch the NFL Sunday Ticket, which delivers every NFL game to viewers, in the stadium.

For fantasy football fans it s the best of both worlds, says Andy Bernstein, Kangaroo.TV, VP of U.S. markets. They can have the excitement of being at the game but not missing the action for their fantasy team.

The service is slightly different from the NASCAR one, using UHF spectrum to deliver signals instead of Sprint s 2.5 GHz spectrum and the keypad has a different configuration. Up to 10 video channels will be distributed throughout the stadium and parking lot.

The test will dive into the viability of the service, with pricing in Miami currently $39.95. The Washington, DC service will have a lower price point. There is also a season-long pricing package and a discount for season ticket owners and DirecTV subscribers.

We re still in test mode, says Bernstein who has been hard at work nailing down separate deals with both the NFL and DirecTV. We had 11 NASCAR race tests before going commercial.

The video served out to the devices will be the same video seen on the TV broadcasts and blackout restrictions will apply but both the Dolphins and Redskins are selling out games so the restrictions won t be an issue for fans.