AOL.com (www.aol.com) and the Women’s National Basketball Association are expanding their relationship with a new multiyear partnership deal that delivers WNBA content through multiple AOL channels, including a new broadband video-on-demand channel, officials said Monday.
Under the agreement, AOL.com will provide a broadband VOD channel that will feature WNBA video highlights and a "Greatest Moments" video-series sweepstakes in celebration of the WNBA's 10th-anniversary season.
AOL.com will be an official online-media partner of the WNBA, as well as the presenting partner of the “WNBA Coach of the Year” award.
The WNBA broadband VOD channel will feature game highlights from the past 10 years, behind-the-scenes game coverage and feature stories on and interviews with WNBA players. WNBA video will also be indexed in AOL's leading “Video Search” product, making the league's video archive more accessible to Internet users.
In addition, in order to highlight the far-reaching appeal of the league and the growth of its fan base, programming content will reach a broad-based audience across several of AOL.com's programming areas, including its “Black Voices,” “Women's” and “Lifestyle” channels.
Fans will also have the opportunity to win a grand-prize trip to the 2006 WNBA Finals through the VOD "Greatest Moments" sweepstakes and promotion, which will look back at some of the most exciting moments in WNBA history.
"AOL's ability to connect with consumers is unsurpassed and, by bringing the WNBA's video archive to life, users will be able to experience the league's history in a whole new way," WNBA president Donna Orender said in a prepared statement.
"We are excited to expand this relationship into new areas with meaningful initiatives, particularly with AOL's precedent-setting video programming and its significant involvement with our 10th-anniversary platforms, all of which will resonate with our fans," she added.
AOL will be able to reach fans through multiple channels, including players' blogs, in-arena signage and advertising during every nationally televised WNBA regular and postseason game, as well as the league's All-Star Game.
The relationship between AOL and the WNBA started in 2000. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
