PrestoSports, a small technology company that runs athletic websites for mid-major universities and small colleges, is coming out with a new stats program that it will offer free to its school clients.
Presto is trying to take on CBS-owned Stat Crew, which dominates the market with more than 1,000 college clients and 100 conferences. But Maryland-based Presto knows the underdog role well, having carved out a space in the athletic website business, where the CBSSports.com College Network and NeuLion own most of the market.
Presto’s angle with its athletic website business is low cost, and it will take a similar approach this month as it starts pushing its new stats software for free.
Stat Crew, which is coming out with a new Windows-based version this year, charges $400 to $565 per year for each sport. The Presto product will run on most operating systems, including Windows, Macs and iPads. It initially is introducing software for soccer, field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse, to be followed next year by football, basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball.
“We’re a small, innovative company trying to get into the market, and we’re prepared to offer it for free,” said Serge Knystautas, Presto’s founder and CEO.
Schools use this software to compile stats during the course of competition for media outlets, scoreboards, in-arena and in-stadium feeds, and real-time game trackers on the Web.
Knystautas said he’s willing to give away the stats software as a way of getting Presto’s foot in the door for its other services, such as it athletic website business.
Presto’s website clients include mostly lower-level NCAA Division I schools, as well as Division II and III schools that can’t afford to spend tens of thousands on their websites.
