Princeton Video Images, Inc. has signed a deal with The
Marquee Group to develop new sports applications for its
live video insertion system (The Marquee Group).
ELECTRONIC ADS FEATURED: BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton
examines "virtual signage." The technology's ability to
"tailor signage by market is an advertiser's dream." CT-
based SMTI President Mike Trager: "Clubs always ambush each
other with their signage because there is always a competing
soda or auto. This prevents that and allows you to sell
'away' signage. Theoretically, that means you could
eventually double your revenue." NBA Commissioner David
Stern: "Everyone is going to have to make a choice as to how
far they will go with this. I don't see it necessarily as
something that will kill the goose that laid the golden egg,
but it has the capacity to." Lefton notes "far more
worrisome to the industry is the implied threat of a
technology that could be used to mask or virtually replace
existing signage. ... Rights are not always clearly defined
and the contractual language covering this technology is
untested. Add to that the oft-times competing interests of
clubs, leagues, sponsors and facility owners and it's hard
not to foresee an initial period of conflict." MLS
Commissioner Doug Logan: "The question of who actually owns
the virtual rights isn't always clear. Does the real-estate
owner have the rights? Does the tenant have the rights or
does the broadcaster have the rights?" (BRANDWEEK, 1/27).
