SportsLine USA, Inc. And Zonenetwork.com, Inc. Announce Exclusive Content And E-Commerce Agreement
MountainZone.com to Provide Outdoor Sports Content and Commerce for SportsLine Users
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., and SEATTLE, Wash., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- SportsLine USA, Inc., (Nasdaq: SPLN - news) the leading global Internet sports media company and publisher of CBS SportsLine (http://cbs.sportsline.com), and ZoneNetwork.com, Inc., publisher of MountainZone.com (http://www.mountainzone.com), the leading mountain sports Web site, today announced an exclusive content and commerce agreement.
Beginning in October, ZoneNetwork.com will produce co-branded sites on cbs.sportsline.com and become the exclusive provider of content in a variety of categories, including mountain, snow and other outdoor sports. The co- branded sites will also be customized for and integrated with each of SportsLine's expanding list of worldwide properties.
Additionally, SportsLine and ZoneNetwork.com will create co-branded stores for each of SportsLine's worldwide properties, featuring merchandise for each of ZoneNetwork.com's exclusive content areas within SportsLine's e-commerce area, shop.sportsline.com. The stores will highlight premier outdoor brands already featured on MountainZone.com and will include consumer and expert product reviews, comparison charts, product selection tools, boot and shoe fitting guides and live customer chat.
Under the terms of the three-year agreement, SportsLine will receive a minority equity in ZoneNetwork.com, a multi-million dollar fee in exchange for promotion of the co-branded site and stores, as well as commissions on advertising and merchandise revenue in excess of certain thresholds. ZoneNetwork.com will receive all revenue from merchandise sales and advertising related to the co-branded site and stores, as well as an annual content licensing fee.
''This relationship is a win-win for both ZoneNetwork.com and SportsLine,'' said Michael Levy, president and CEO of SportsLine USA, Inc. ''Our users have come to rely on us to provide them with the most current, in-depth sports information on the Internet. This joint effort enables us to extend our broad sports reach into new content and commerce areas while exposing our worldwide audiences to ZoneNetwork.com's sites.''
''This is a very deep strategic partnership which extends our reach and allows us to execute our business plan and strategic vision,'' said Chuck Gottschalk president and CEO of ZoneNetwork.com, publisher of MountainZone.com. ''This alliance provides SportsLine's viewers throughout the world and their extensive network of affiliated Web sites with our premier content and commerce offerings.''
About SportsLine USA, Inc.
SportsLine USA, Inc. is at the leading edge of media companies, providing Internet sports content, community and e-commerce on a global basis. SportsLine USA's content includes more than 400,000 pages of multimedia sports information, entertainment and merchandise. SportsLine USA was founded in 1994 and its flagship Internet sports service (www.sportsline.com) was renamed CBS SportsLine in March of 1997 as part of an exclusive promotional and content agreement with CBS Sports. SportsLineUSA produces the official league Web sites for Major League Baseball, the PGA TOUR and NFL Europe League, and serves as the primary sports content provider for America Online, Netscape and Excite. In May 1999, the Company commenced operations in Europe through its majority-owned subsidiary, SportsLine Europe Limited.
About ZoneNetwork.com
Founded in December 1995, ZoneNetwork.com is an expert in online vertical marketing with a leading outdoor sports Web site. MountainZone.com offers multimedia sports information, entertainment and merchandise, and has become one of the Internet's most successful virtual communities. From first-hand interviews with Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street and IMAX Everest star Ed Viesturs to multimedia cybercasts of Mount Everest climbs, MountainZone.com offers visitors more than 7,000 outdoor retail products and more than 50,000 pages of award-winning mountain sports news, interviews, and photos at mountainzone.com. Fingerhut Companies, Inc., a subsidiary of Federated Department Stores, is a key strategic partner, bringing scalable inventory fulfillment and expert direct marketing capabilities. ZoneNetwork.com, Inc. is a privately held company based in Seattle, Washington. For more information, contact ZoneNetwork.com by phone at (206) 621-8630 or by fax at (206) 621-0651.
SOURCE: SportsLine USA, Inc.
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