PVI To Provide “Sunday” Virtual Ads For Remainder Of Season

Princeton Video Image (PVI) will produce and supply virtual ads for ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" for the remainder of the '02 season. PVI supplied and provided this service to ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" and its sponsors from '99-01. The first telecast to use PVI's service was last Sunday's Indians-Rangers game (PVI). In yesterday's "Closing Bell," Editor-at-Large Terry Lefton noted that PVI-rival Sportvision had provided the virtual ads since the beginning of this season. Industry sources said the switch was made because of quality concerns from MLB and ESPN. However, the "K Zone" enhancement on "Sunday Night Baseball" will continue to be provided by Sportvision (THE DAILY).

PVI To Give Home Viewers An Added Bonus

ANIMATED EXCITEMENT: BRANDWEEK's Hilary Cassidy reported that the Phillies are teaming with PVI for "the latest in-game sponsored enhancement." A virtual ad behind home plate "features a company's logo (such as a Coke bottle cap) that changes after a pitch to show the pitch speed (the Coke cap animates and flips to show the mph)." Advertisers include Coca-Cola, Mobil, Chevrolet and Citizens Banks. The Phillies "claim the animation adds value to both the viewers and the advertiser" (BRANDWEEK, 4/30).