NBCUniversal Selects Arbitron to Measure Out-of-Home TV Viewing for the 2012 Summer Olympics
Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) announced today that NBCUniversal has selected the Arbitron Portable People Meter (PPM) service to track out-of-home television viewing for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games airing on NBCUniversal broadcast and cable networks.
As a part of The Billion Dollar Lab, NBCUniversal’s pioneering research efforts for the Beijing, Vancouver and London Olympics, NBCUniversal will have access to out-of-home Olympic viewing reports based on the approximately 69,000 PPM survey participants in 44 top U.S. media markets currently measured by Arbitron.
“We’re pleased to be selected once again to participate in NBCUniversal’s Billion Dollar Lab,” said Carol Edwards, senior vice president, Cross Platform Services. “Television screens are everywhere and the 2012 Summer Olympics will be a 17 day, round-the-clock television event for avid fans and viewers. The Arbitron PPM service is uniquely suited to the task of tracking Olympic broadcast and cable television audiences no matter where they tune in.”
The 2012 Olympic Summer Games are being held in London and other locations in the United Kingdom from July 27, 2012 through August 12, 2012.
Win Tickets From tombola for a Sunderland AFC Home Game
As the proud Sunderland AFC sponsor, tombola is offering tombola players and the general public the chance to win two free tickets to see the lads play at the Stadium of Light. There are two pairs of tickets up for grabs for each of the next five home games:
Saturday 24th March – Queens Park Rangers (closes 21/03/2012)
Saturday 7th April – Tottenham Hotspur (closes 04/04/2012)
Saturday 14th April – Wolverhampton Wanderers (closes 11/04/2012)
Saturday 28th April – Bolton Wanderers (closes 25/04/2012)
Sunday 13th May – Manchester United (closes 09/05/2012)
tombola comments, “We are avid supporters of our boys in red and white and as official sponsors we’re able to offer SAFC fans the chance to win two free tickets to attend a home game at The Stadium of Light.” Read more
LG Electronics Brings ‘Home Court Challenge’ to 2012 NCAA Men’s Final Four
LG Electronics USA, an official NCAA Corporate Partner, will give fans a chance to relive a classic 20-year-old college basketball game during the 2012 NCAA Men’s Final Four. The “LG Home Court Challenge” is a highlight of LG’s buzzer-beating fan engagement activities, which also includes a nationwide sweepstakes this month and interactive technology experiences at the NCAA Bracket Town fan extravaganza on Final Four weekend in New Orleans.
The number “20″ is a recurring theme for LG at the Final Four this year. The 20-year reunion of the 1992 Duke vs. Kentucky Regional Finals will take 20 minutes – the length of a half of play in college basketball and the exact amount of time as an NCAA tournament halftime. The centerpiece of the LG Home Court Challenge is groundbreaking new TurboWash laundry technology which saves consumers 20 minutes per wash cycle*.
Joining the LG team for NCAA March Madness 2012 is Greg Anthony, former college and NBA basketball player and current CBS Sports and Turner Sports analyst. Anthony will emcee the LG Home Court Challenge during Final Four weekend.
Taking place at Buick Arena, the LG Home Court Challenge will flash back 20 years to what some call the greatest game in NCAA basketball history: Duke vs. Kentucky in the 1992 NCAA East Regional Finals. LG will bring back two of the game’s all-star players – Bobby Hurley from Duke and Travis Ford from Kentucky – to compete in the ultimate one-on-one rematch to see who can clean up better on the home court.
The LG Home Court Challenge will tip off on Sunday, April 1 at 2 p.m. CT at Bracket Town in New Orleans. To celebrate this two-decade-old milestone, Buick Arena will be transformed into an LG model home and the two players will be tasked with completing a variety of household chores while being scored on skill and flair by Anthony. The challenge kicks off in the laundry room highlighted by the ultra-fast TurboWash technology that gets clothes cleaner in less time.
After the players navigate the two laundry areas, the challenge takes them through two kitchen spaces where they’ll unload groceries and prepare appetizers, followed by a quick stop using two LG Nitro HD smartphones for calling friends and family, and into a living room with recliners where each player will cool down while enjoying exciting 3D sports action on an LG CINEMA 3D Smart TV.
After crowning the LG Home Court Challenge champion, LG will make donations in both participating players’ names to Coaches vs. Cancer charity and the MD Anderson Cancer Center. In addition to monetary donations to both organizations, LG will donate a number of Nitro HD smartphones along with a year of prepaid AT&T service to patients of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, exemplifying yet another way LG is committed to incorporating technology that helps make life better for consumers and their families. Read more
Dribble, Dunk and Dazzle on the Basketball Court, Without Injury
The basketball season is in full swing, and while players and spectators love the on-court action, all that fancy foot and hand movement can cause a wide range of injuries – from sprained ankles and knees, to jammed fingers and stress fractures.
STATISTICS
According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, nearly 1.5 million basketball injuries, in children and adults, were reported in 2010.
EXPERT ADVICE
“Basketball is a fast moving, intensely competitive sport, with a significant potential for injury,” said J.R. Rudzki, MD, a Washington D.C. orthopaedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, and spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). “Dressing appropriately, ensuring a safe play environment, and maintaining consistent flexibility and strength training can help avoid injury.”
AAOS BASKETBALL SAFETY TIPS
The AAOS has recommendations to help you enjoy the game of basketball, without injury: Read more
Metalist Kharkiv vs. FC Salzburg UEFA Europa League preview
Metalist Kharkiv won 4-0 at FC Salzburg to leave the Austrian side chasing a largely theoretical chance of a UEFA Europa League round of 16 encounter with FC Rubin Kazan or Olympiacos FC.
Taison put Metalist ahead inside the first minute in Salzburg, with Jonathan Cristaldo (37 & 41) and Marko Devic (90) completing a rout that matched Salzburg’s worst home loss in European football, 4-0 against Parma FC in the first leg of a 2003/04 UEFA Cup second round tie.
The clubs have been paired for the first time in UEFA competition.
Metalist’s four games against Austrian teams have ended W3 D1 L1 (W1 D0 L1 at home). They beat FK Austria Wien 2-1 away and 4-1 at home in this season’s UEFA Europa League group stage.
Prior to this term, Salzburg’s only experience of Ukrainian opposition was a loss to FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the third qualifying round of the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League, winning the first leg 1-0 at home but going down 3-1 inDonetsk. Read more
Olympiacos FC vs. Rubin Kazan UEFA Europa League preview
David Fuster’s deflected shot in Russia has given Olympiacos FC a 1-0 advantage as they look to reach the UEFA Europa League round of 32 at the expense of Rubin Kazan.
Olympiacos hit the winner after 71 minutes in Moscow, but the hero of the match was Northern Irish goalkeeper Roy Carroll, who saved a penalty with his first touch for his new club 14 minutes from time, having replaced Balazs Megyeri – who had been sent off for conceding the spot kick.
The clubs have been paired for the first time in UEFA competition.
Olympiacos’s only experience of Russian opposition prior to this season came in 1971 when they lost 2-0 at home and won 2-1 away against FC Dinamo Moskva in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup first round. Read more
Daytona Walmart Stores To Host NASCAR Driver Appearances, Racing Simulators, Fun for Fans
As Daytona prepares for the upcoming Daytona 500, select Walmart stores will offer authentic NASCAR merchandise and host exclusive fan events starting Tuesday, Feb. 21.
Customers are invited to attend these special events and enjoy racing show cars and simulators, along with special appearances by Jeff Burton and Miss Coors Light, as well as race car simulators– perfect to safely get behind the wheel and feel the power of NASCAR.
“Walmart is the champion of the racing fan, and we are committed to providing customers with savings on authentic merchandise, as well as unique race time experiences,” said Corbin Norman, Walmart market manager. “We want to give fans affordability and accessibility, so they can enjoy race time with their families and friends.” Read more