Sony Ericsson unveils real-time Mobile Event Guide: bringing fans closer to the action

Sony Ericsson today unveiled the Mobile Event Guide, its new initiative to be launched for the first time at the Sony Ericsson Championships, the prestigious season ending women’s tennis event. The Mobile Event Guide is a free mobile application that fans at the event can download onto their mobile phones.  Information includes tournament schedules and results; video clips and pictures of matches as well as tennis player information and analysis straight to their mobile phones.

Fans can also update their Mobile Event Guide through Bluetooth or wireless connections as they pass through special-designation Sony Ericsson kiosks to get useful travel and tourist content, including weather updates, airport flight information, cultural activities and maps. The Mobile Event Guide is the first service of its kind that is updated and includes real-time information without the inconvenience of searching and downloading individual web pages for information.

“Sony Ericsson continually strives for new ways of using its technical innovation to enhance the experience for those attending Sony Ericsson sponsored events. The Mobile Event Guide will enable fans at the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha to access an easy-to-use, free service offering an indispensable guide to the tournament and city. We look forward to rolling out the application in the future for a variety of spectator events”, commented Aldo Liguori, CVP and Head of Global Communications and PR, Sony Ericsson.

Fans entering the stadium in Doha will be greeted with a message from Sony Ericsson inviting them to the Mobile Event Guide. The technology is available to all Bluetooth enabled phone users who can download a version of the application that suits their mobile phone.  Advanced phones such as the Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot phone will be able to download the most feature-rich version of the application.

Players will have a personalised Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot phone with a special version of the application. The application will provide them with features including live updates on information including match statistics and personal schedules and maps of the stadium, using the new wireless feature of the C905 Cyber-shot phone.

Larry Scott, Chairman & CEO, Sony Ericsson, WTA Tour, said, “The hallmark of Sony Ericsson’s sponsorship of the Tour has been innovation, and using Sony Ericsson technology to enhance the fan and player experience. We are delighted that Sony Ericsson has chosen the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha to launch this exciting new service.  The Mobile Event Guide will ensure that fans and players get the most out of the tournament, making their event-experience all the more exciting.”

The Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha this year (November 4-9) sees the world’s top eight women singles and top four women’s doubles teams compete for the title and a share of a record prize money of $4.45 million. Many of the world's leading players have qualified including Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Dinara Safina, Serena Williams, Elena Dementieva; and doubles players Cara Black - Liezel Huber.