YES Net's Interactive Feature A Big Hit For DirecTV Viewers

YES Network To Continue Offering Interactive Feature On DirecTV

YES Network said that 42% of homes with access to YES Interactive, a feature available to DirecTV subscribers, "used it consistently" throughout the '07 MLB season, and those those users "typically watched Yankees games on YES 54% longer than viewers who did not access YES Interactive," according to Glen Dickson of BROADCASTING & CABLE. From April-September, "the average number of users increased 20%, the number of times YES Interactive was used per household per month increased 84% and the amount of time spent on YES Interactive by the average user increased 184%" (BROADCASTINGCABLE.com, 12/10). In this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, John Ourand writes while it is unlikely any service besides DirecTV will launch YES Interactive next season, Verizon and Cablevision "could come on board" in '09.  Last year, former Yankees manager Joe Torre's Safe At Home Foundation was the exclusive sponsor of the service, and YES "expects to have up to two sponsors signed by spring training" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/10 issue).   TV WEEK's Jon Lafayette wrote the "most popular feature [of YES Interactive] was one that allowed viewers to get out-of-town scores by pushing a button on their remote control" (TV WEEK, 12/10 issue).