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NTN Buzztime, Inc. Announces the Debut of Its QB1(TM) Predict-the-Play(R) Game on Mobile Phones and the Internet to Start Its 22nd Consecutive Footbal
16 September 2006 NTN Buzztime, Inc. (Amex: NTN), the leader in Play Along TV(R) entertainment and technology, announces the start of its 22nd QB1 Predict-the-Play football season with expanded availability to advanced mobile phones and Internet-connected PCs, as well as new web-based features that enable fans to establish and manage their own player leagues and track scores and standings. Now, for the first time, armchair quarterbacks can "Get Off The Couch and Into the Game(R)" by predicting the plays in all nationally televised National Football League and National Collegiate Athlete Association football broadcast from their mobile phone, PC and NTN Buzztime's NFL-licensed game available in over 4,000 sports bars and restaurants in North America.
NTN Buzztime has produced QB1 for the Buzztime Network -- their multiplayer iTV network in sports bars and restaurants -- with a license from the NFL continuously since 1984. The live football strategy game is produced live from Buzztime's iTV Production Center in Carlsbad, California and is played in conjunction with all nationally televised NFL and NCAA football broadcasts. Players compete nationally to predict each offensive play before the snap of the ball and can earn points and prizes, including trips to the 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii.
"QB1 has been the flagship product of NTN Buzztime from day-one and is the basis of our live interactive play-along library," said Dario Santana, CEO of NTN Buzztime. "New technology platforms such as advanced mobile phones are a logical place for us to expand our proprietary knowledge, experience and technology to give our QB1 fans additional ways to play along with the live TV broadcast or from within the stadium."
Also new this season is the ability for QB1 players in sports bars and restaurants to establish and manage their own leagues as a competitive sub-group of the QB1 player universe. Exclusive to the QB1 game play on the Buzztime Network, players use tools on the Buzztime Players Website to track standings, scores, match-ups and provide schedules for league members. Similar to sports fantasy leagues, QB1 League Commissioners create and manage their league for their particular season. To set-up your own QB1 league, go to http://players.buzztime.com and select "QB1 Leagues" under the "GAMES" menu.
QB1 Mobile is free to play during its first trial season and may require connection time from your wireless carrier. Mobile players will need a browser-enabled (WAP) phone to access the real-time QB1 game feed and high-speed wireless access to increase the timeliness of the players' game play call predictions. To play QB1 Mobile, open the phone's web browser and link to http://www.QB1.com/mobile.
QB1 Online is also free to play, and available during all nationally televised NFL and NCAA games. Players use their mouse and keyboard to enter their play predictions while watching the football game on their TV. To play QB1 on the Internet, go to http://players.buzztime.com and select "QB1 Online" under the "GAMES" menu.
History of QB1
In 1967, Dan Downs, then Ticket and Stadium Manager for the Houston Oilers, and Don Klosterman, then Executive Vice President and General Manager for the Oilers, had an idea to increase ticket sales by creating a game where their fans could predict the plays during the live game. Their idea was years ahead of the interactive media revolution that was to come and QB1 would become the de facto standard in live sports prediction games.
Don and Dan went on to form NTN Communications, Inc. in 1982 (now NTN Buzztime, Inc.). They refined the QB1 game rules with the help of NFL coaches Don Shula, Bill Walsh and Hank Stram and developed the interactive technology and iTV Production Studio necessary to produce live predictive sports games. NTN then obtained the first "interactive" license from the NFL and the first QB1 game was played in 1984 during Super Bowl XVIII. Since then, QB1 has won recognition and awards and with distribution via online and internet sites as early as 1992 and cable TV in 1994.
How it Works
QB1 has been produced in Buzztime's iTV Production Studio in Carlsbad, California every NFL season since 1984. Although the studio has moved to larger facilities and technology has advanced, the same process is used to produce the play-along broadcast for each NFL and NCAA football game -- as well as other play-along sports prediction games such as Race Day(R) (car racing) Diamondball(TM) (baseball), Uppercut (boxing) Triples (horse racing) and others.
Buzztime's iTV Production Center has numerous QB1 Game Crew teams of three key individuals: The Game Producer, Game Caller and Game Inputter. The Game Producer is in charge of each QB1 broadcast and has the final say in game production, including the ability to override controversial game calls. The Game Caller verbally communicates the official play calls and triggers all commercial breaks. The Game Inputter keys in each game call command (Down & Distance, Ball Snap, Play Call, etc.) into Buzztime's proprietary QB1 Broadcast Director application.
The entire process is repeated for every televised NFL game and all nationally broadcast NCAA college football games. Buzztime production and distribution process is capable of distribution to multiple interactive networks simultaneously such as the Buzztime Network (iTV), Internet (PCs) and Mobile Phones (WAP). Each play call that is input by the QB1 Game Crew is automatically distributed simultaneously to all interactive players on all QB1-enabled platforms.
How to Play
In order to predict the play during a live QB1 game, the player must record a Play-Call selection beginning with one of two basic Play-Calls: RUN or PASS. Players can earn additional points, on a higher risk equals higher reward premise, by adding the direction of the intended play (LEFT, MIDDLE or RIGHT) to the Play-Call's basic call, as well as including the distance of the PASS plays (BACK, SHORT, DEEP). All Play-Calls must be registered before the snap of the Ball to be eligible to be scored for that plan. At the snap of the ball all Play-Calls are locked-in.
The Official Play-Call, which is determined by the QB1 game officials, will provide the players with point based on the prediction. Points can be earned for the correct Play-Call or partially correct Play-Call. In run, points are lost on an incorrect Play-Call. In addition, players can earn bonus points for having the correct Basic Play-Call (RUN, PASS) on plays during which first downs and touchdowns occur. Furthermore, bonuses may be earned for Consecutive Calls (CCs) in which players are rewarded for correctly predicting a string of basic Play-Calls, with extra bonus for more specific predictions. For detailed definition of the Game Strategy, Scoring Matrix for point scoring scenarios, definitions of RUN, PASS, LEFT, MIDDLE, RIGHT, BACK, SHORT and DEEP, and QB1 Official Rules, please refer to http://www.QB1.com.
About NTN Buzztime, Inc.
Based in Carlsbad, CA, NTN Buzztime, Inc. (Amex: NTN) has been a leader in interactive television entertainment for over 20 years and distributes its Play Along TV games and technology through numerous platforms including its own Buzztime iTV Network which is available on TV's in over 4,000 restaurants, sports bars and pubs throughout North America and the United Kingdom as well as cable TV, satellite TV, mobile phones, electronic games and books. For more information on NTN Buzztime, Inc. and the Official Rules of the QB1 Buffalo Wild Wings 2006 promotion, please see http://www.buzztime.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements which reflect management's current views of future events and operations including but not limited to product expansion opportunities and trends in subscriber preference and engagement. These statements are all based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include the risk of changing economic conditions, change in product demand or market acceptance of both existing and new products and services and the impact of competitive products and pricing. Please see NTN Buzztime, Inc.'s recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for information about these and other risks that may affect the Company. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based on information available to us on the date hereof. These statements speak only as of the date hereof, and NTN Buzztime, Inc. does not undertake to publicly update or revise any of its forward-looking statements, even if experience or future changes show that the indicated results or events will not be realized
Buzztime, QB1, Play Along TV, Predict-The-Play, Get Off The Couch and Into the Game, Race Day and Diamonball Trivia are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTN Buzztime, Inc.
All-NFL related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League.
CONTACT:
For NTN Buzztime, Inc.:
Tyrone Lam
President, Buzztime Entertainment
NTN Buzztime, Inc.
(888)752-9686
Ty@buzztime.com
Source: prnewswire
All trademarks and copyrighted information contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
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