(19 November 2007 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: US entertainment company AirPlay has announced the second season launch of NBA Realtime Fantasy.

This is the real-time, multi-player fantasy game available for all televised NBA games throughout the 2007-08 NBA season, including the NBA Playoffs and The Finals. Basketball fans across America can now tap into their inner coach and play NBA Realtime Fantasy on their mobile phone, or new to this season, on www.NBA.com.

AirPlay produces more than 100 games a week across a variety of programmes. These AirPlayTV events let viewers play and communicate with friends during their favorite programming.

AirPlay chairman and CEO Morgan Guenther says, "Viewers want to engage with the television programming they love -- playing along, and connecting with friends and other fans. AirPlay makes this a reality and, in the process, continues to lead TV's evolution from an isolated, one-to-one experience to dynamic, connected and community based programming."

New to this season's NBA Realtime Fantasy is the ability to set up private groups, join team fan communities and communicate during the game, while continuing to choose teams, substitute players and track results. This new component of the game augments existing fan behavior by providing an outlet for even deeper involvement and communication.

According to Sports Viewers: Solutions Research Group, 58 per cent of those watching the 2007 NBA Finals were instant messaging, e-mailing, texting or talking on the phone.

NBA Entertainment executive VP operations and technology Steve Hellmuth says, "After the success of last year's mobile version of NBA Realtime Fantasy, we are excited to expand the offering to fans online at www.NBA.com. NBA Realtime Fantasy will once again provide our fantasy fans with another way to interact with their favourite teams and players in real time while watching NBA game broadcasts."