NFL Europe has tapped SportsLine USA to operate its
official Web site at www.NFLeurope.com, according to Scott
Newman of BLOOMBERG NEWS. SportsLine, which will pay "at
least" $250,000 in production costs and split any profits
with the league, "hopes the move will lead to the eventual
acquisition of the rights for NFL.com," which will be up for
bidding after the 2000 season. ESPN, which purchased the
rights for NFL.com for as much as $10M, said it "wouldn't
pay anything" for the NFL Europe Web site. ESPN Internet
Ventures Senior VP/GM Steve Zales: "We decided to pass.
With our existing relationship with the NFL, we feel we're
covering the majority of the interest in the sport." Newman
reports that neither the NFL nor SportsLine would release
NFLeurope.com's traffic numbers "because they're so low" and
the site "doesn't generate enough traffic to be measured by
Media Matrix" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 4/28).
RUSHING TO DAYLIGHT: With the two-year deal, SportsLine
has relaunched NFLeurope.com with a new look and added
features (NFL Europe). In addition, NTN Communications,
Inc. announced that its interactive football strategy game,
located at QB1.com, will be featured on NFLeurope.com. The
feature will receive on air promotion during the league's
telecasts on Fox, Fox Sports Net and DirecTV. SportsLine
USA will sell advertising and share ad revenue on QB1.com
and NFLeurope.com (NTN).
