Fox TV Uses Princeton Video Image System for Super Bowl to Create Spectacular Player Introductory Sequence
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LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ (BUSINESS WIRE) Over Super Bowl weekend 800 million TV viewers around the world watched the dazzling video effects created by Princeton Video Image (NASDAQ:PVII) for Fox TV’s telecasts of Super Bowl XXXIII and the Donn Handicap thoroughbred horserace. For the first time, PVI’s Live Video Insertion System (L-VIS™) was used by a broadcast network to create original programming – the introduction of the starting Super Bowl teams – to be featured in a worldwide telecast. Also during the game, international advertisers, including General Motors, Pfizer, National Car Rental, Pepsi, Nokia, Ruffles, Unilever and Corona, used PVI’s system to insert “virtual ads” in feeds to selected countries.
Just a day earlier, Fox Sports Television used the PVI system to create the first “virtual finish line” in a professional thoroughbred horse race. “Super Bowl weekend was a showcase for PVI and the uses of virtual insertion,” said Dennis Wilkinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Princeton Video Image. “It was used to create original, prime time content, to advertise sponsors’ products, and to enhance TV spectators’ appreciation of a live sports event. There has never been such a concentrated use of PVI technology over so short a time span in front of so many viewers.”
For the domestic and world feeds of the Super Bowl, Fox used the PVI system for a set of special animated graphics to introduce players from both teams. The graphics included a “virtual” trap door which opened to reveal a large “virtual” screen where a video clip of the players appeared. Mr. Wilkinson said the world feed also contained a virtual ad promoting PVI’s website, www.pvimage.com.
“Being able to participate in both the domestic and international broadcasts of the Super Bowl was a great accomplishment for PVI,” said Brown Williams, Chairman and Co-Founder of Princeton Video Image. “Last year, we provided our electronic imaging services in only the world feed of the Super Bowl, while this year we also provided video insertion for the domestic, Mexican, and Canadian broadcasts. The extension ofour services this year clearly demonstrates the growing market acceptance of live electronic imaging as a powerful medium for both advertising and viewer enhancement.”
Mr. Wilkinson concluded, “Clearly, advertisers are drawn to this incredibly unique and innovative medium, while broadcasters are realizing the many novel and exciting ways our technology can enhance their live events. We look forward to further extending the applications of our proprietary virtual image insertion technology into additional sporting and other events.”
Princeton Video Image, Inc., the worldwide leader in virtual advertisingand imaging solutions for television, has developed and is marketing areal-time video insertion system that, through patented pattern recognition technology, places computer-generated electronic images into television broadcasts of sporting events as well as other programming. These electronic images range from simple corporate names and logos to sophisticated 3-D images and animated effects. PVI has provided video insertion services for nearly 1,000 live telecasts worldwide, including broadcasts of Major League Baseball, National League Football, professional soccer, motor sports, and other live events. The Company is headquartered in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, with offices in New York City.
Any statements contained in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, those relating to market acceptance, dependence on strategic partners and third party sales, contractual restraints on use of PVI’s technology, a rapidly changing commercial and technological environment, competition, possible adverse regulations, need for additional financing, intellectual property rights and litigation, and other risks identified in PVI’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results, events orperformance may differ materially. PVI undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.