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NBC’s Latest Campaign Invites Fans to Participate in “Football Night in America”
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA., September 13, 2006 – VeriSign, Inc., (NASDAQ: VRSN), the leading provider of intelligent infrastructure services for the networked world, announced the extension of its relationship with NBC Universal to NBC Sports and NBCSports.com, powering a nationwide fan vote during the “Football Night in America” studio show.
“NBC Universal continues to be thrilled with the response from viewers to our many successful interactive campaigns. Participation from viewers at home has brought the excitement of the show right into their home via their mobile phones,” said Jon Dakss, Director, ITV Product Development, NBC Universal. “We are looking forward to extending that excitement to our football broadcasts this season through our continued partnership with VeriSign."
“With the launch of NBCSports.com, we wanted new ways to interact with viewers of Football Night in America,” said Perkins Miller, Senior Vice President, Digital Media, NBC Sports & Olympics. “The ‘Player of the Day’ vote is an exciting way for our audience to participate -- and VeriSign enables us to extend this campaign to mobile phone users.”
VeriSign provides the backend technology platform that powers the interactive aspect to many of NBC’s top shows. In addition to the campaign during “Football Night in America,” VeriSign powers NBC’s leadership in the interactive TV space through record-breaking campaigns this year including the Deal or No Deal “Lucky Case Game,” Treasure Hunters trivia, The Apprentice final winner vote and Top Chef winner vote.
“Consumers are demanding more interactivity from their entertainment experiences, and we are proud to enable NBC to continue to reach viewers in innovative ways,” said Jeff Treuhaft, senior vice president, VeriSign Communications Services. “VeriSign ® Interactive Application Services are enabling companies to reach new audiences and customers through innovative applications, helping them remain competitive in an always on environment.”
Jupiter Research reported that mobile content revenues amounted to more than $2 billion in the United States in 2005 and will grow substantially during the next five years. NBC’s Deal or No Deal “Lucky Case Game” made it possible for over 210 million wireless subscribers to participate in the game show. The “Lucky Case Game” has been a major success, receiving over 57 million total entries, awarding over $1 million in cash prizes to date, resulting in the stakes getting even higher in the new Fall season.
During Sunday’s game featuring the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Giants, football fans had the first opportunity to participate in NBC’s “Player of the Day” campaign by voting online at NBCSports.com or via their mobile phones. Voting is available throughout the first half and the winner is announced during halftime.
About VeriSign
VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRSN), operates intelligent infrastructure services
that enable and protect billions of interactions every day across the
world’s voice and data networks. Additional news and information about
the company is available at www.verisign.com
About NBC Universal
NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment
companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment,
news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through
the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal
owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks,
a premier motion picture company, significant television production
operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned
theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20%
owned by Vivendi.
For more information, contact:
VeriSign Corporate Communications: Lisa Malloy, lmalloy@verisign.com,
202-270-7600
VeriSign Investor Relations: Tom McCallum, tmccallum@verisign.com,
650-426-3744
NBC Universal Corporate Communications: Jaret Posmentier, jaret.posmentier@nbcuni.com, 212-664-4673
Forward-Looking Statement
Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information
constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section
27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. These statements involve risks and uncertainties
that could cause VeriSign's actual results to differ materially from
those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential
risks and uncertainties include, among others, the inability of the
parties to reach definitive agreements regarding the expansion of their
relationship, the uncertainty of future revenue and profitability and
potential fluctuations in quarterly operating results due to such factors
as increasing competition and pricing pressure from competing services
offered at prices below our prices and market acceptance of our existing
services, the inability of VeriSign to successfully develop and market
new services and the uncertainty of whether new services as provided
by VeriSign will achieve market acceptance or result in any revenues.
More information about potential factors that could affect the company's
business and financial results is included in VeriSign's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q. VeriSign undertakes no obligation to update any
of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.
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