Sporting News Baseball Application From Zumobi Scores Home Run With Sport and Fantasy League Enthusiasts

Free App Enables Mobile Access to Scores, Stats, News and More; On-the-Go Fantasy League Players Can Track Their Rosters and News Through 'Favorite' Team Builder Feature

SEATTLE and CHARLOTTE, N.C. April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Zumobi and SportingNews.com today announced the availability of Sporting News Baseball, a free mobile application for iPhone and iPod touch users that provides real-time updates and exclusive fantasy content on all teams and players in the MLB. With exclusive content from SportingNews.com, this new app gives fans instant access to scores, full standings, stats, MLB league and team news, player details, in-game updates, post-game recaps, and much more. Sporting News Baseball provides player rankings and projections for the upcoming season as well as access to exclusive news and Sporting News blog content.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090403/LA94124)

"SportingNews.com is a destination for fans that live, eat and breathe baseball. They like to engage with other like-minded enthusiasts by playing fantasy games, blogging and using our site's social networking tools. We are excited to offer these passionate fans another, unique application to track their teams, players and fantasy news throughout the regular and post baseball season," said Jeffrey Gerttula, VP and GM of Online at SportingNews.com. "Baseball fans love information, and this app delivers for them a resourceful and easy-to-use mobile experience."

Beyond the casual fan, fantasy enthusiasts can monitor their players and rosters with the app's custom "Favorites" team-builder feature that creates a virtual team with up-to-date stats. In fact, users can access pitching leaders in wins, saves, innings pitched, strikeouts and ERA, as well as hitting leaders in runs, RBIs, HRs, average, steals, and much more - all from the app.

With Zumobi, advertisers are able to seamlessly integrate their brand into the experience and content of an application. adidas and Weplay utilized Zumobi's newest advertising solution, "BrandFrame," to insert their branding messages into the Sporting News Baseball app. With just one tap, consumers open a "BrandBlast" page featuring insights and opportunities through Weplay. The adidas "BrandBlast" includes the opportunity for fans to win a batting-practice session with slugger Ryan Howard.

"Opening day is fast approaching and adidas' support of Sporting News Baseball helps to make this unique app free to baseball fans," said Mark Clinard, baseball business director, adidas America. "Knowing well the value of getting stats on the go, this is a great way for adidas to interact with our consumers and give them access to elite athletes on our roster like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Vlad Guerrero."

"Zumobi continues to build its network with Sporting News Baseball, providing smartphone users with ways to access what makes sense for their lifestyle," said Ken Willner, CEO of Zumobi. "We are thrilled to work with SportingNews.com, adidas and Weplay on this baseball application in time for opening day. Let's play ball!"

Sporting News Baseball was previewed this week at CTIA Wireless 2009, and received the distinction of "Best of CTIA Wireless" finalist, given by editors and reviewers at LAPTOP magazine. Part of The Zumobi Network, Sporting News Baseball is free and can be downloaded at the iTunes App Store for iPhone and iPod touch users.

About Sporting News:

Founded in 1886, Sporting News is a multi-media company catering to die-hard sports fans. Its content is available through a bi-weekly publication, Sporting News Magazine; the world's first and only daily digital newspaper, Sporting News Today; a national radio network, Sporting News Radio; a leading community-based website, SportingNews.com; and various sports yearbooks. Sporting News is a division of American City Business Journals, Inc., publisher of 41 city business journals, Sports Business Journal, Sports Business Daily, NASCAR Scene, NASCAR Illustrated and Inside Lacrosse.

About Zumobi

Zumobi is a leading mobile media company that designs, develops and distributes branded applications for next-generation smartphones. Zumobi's portfolio of mobile applications comprises The Zumobi Network, which provides innovative and comprehensive solutions for brands, media properties and consumers to connect and engage. For more information, please visit www.zumobi.com.