SportsFitnessNews

February 2, 2009--Garmin today announced its newest fitness watch that sets the standard for wireless connectivity, the FR60. The latest breakthrough in Garmin’s expansive outdoor recreation and fitness line, the stylish and intuitive FR60 was announced in conjunction with the 2009 ISPO Winter trade show in Munich.

“Indoors or out, it’s easier than ever to set fitness goals and track your progress with the fashionable yet affordable FR60,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “While you exercise, the easy-to-use FR60 accurately tracks your time, calories burned, heart rate and other data from linked fitness equipment. Once you’re done and within range of your computer, that information is wirelessly transferred and stored for later analysis.” Read more

September 10, 2008 -- Fitbit Inc., a new company devoted to making America healthier, just introduced the Fitbit Tracker and Website at the TechCrunch50 conference. Fitbit inspires people to exercise more, eat better and live a healthier lifestyle. The company’s newly introduced health and wellness monitoring tools make it easy for anyone to achieve a healthier lifestyle by automatically collecting data about a person’s daily activities and by presenting this data in a motivating and entertaining way.

The Fitbit Tracker is an ultra-compact wireless wearable device that automatically tracks and wirelessly uploads data about a person's activities, such as exercise intensity levels, calories burned, sleep quality, steps and distance. It is as small as a pack of matches and clips securely onto any article of clothing or slips easily into a pocket. The Tracker uses motion sensing technology to precisely capture all moment-to-moment physical activity throughout the day and night. It also measures sleep quality to provide a holistic view of a 24-hour period. At the click of a button, calories, steps and distance are illuminated and displayed on the Tracker. In addition to these numerical measurements, the Tracker also displays a user’s progress toward their goals in the form of an avatar that changes as a user advances toward or falls behind their goals. Read more

September 2, 2008 – Spalding is introducing Spalding Rookie Gear, a sporting goods line of youth-sized basketballs, footballs and soccer balls that weigh 25 percent less than standard youth products. Specifically engineered for the 40+ million kids aged 8 and under, Spalding Rookie Gear’s authentic, innovative product line is designed so kids can shoot, rebound, kick and throw more easily and successfully, and with better form.

“We want kids to enjoy, embrace and achieve early success in sports,” stated Bob Llewellyn, director of consumer marketing, Spalding. “Spalding Rookie Gear is all about keeping young athletes “in” the game because playing with a lighter ball builds confidence, enables sound fundamental skills and keeps a child active. The end result is making sports more fun to play.” Read more

August 18, 2008-Sprint and the National Football League are bringing NFL fans closer to the game with NFL Mobile Live, the only wireless source for complete, live access to NFL action. NFL Mobile Live is free of charge to Sprint data subscribers and is only available at Sprint.

For the first time in wireless, Sprint customers will be able to listen to the live radio broadcasts of every NFL game throughout the 2008 regular season and will also be able to watch all eight of the Thursday Night Football telecasts carried by NFL Network live beginning on Nov. 6 via the new NFL Mobile Live application. Sprint is making it easier to follow a specific team by carrying a live radio broadcast for each game including pregame and postgame reports in most instances.

Users can choose a favorite team and every time they use NFL Mobile Live that team’s information will appear on the screen first with the latest information and quick links to live broadcasts for that team on game days, thus eliminating the need to navigate through several screens. Read more

January 14, 2008 - The NBA announced today the launch of "NBA 2 Go," a comprehensive top-tier sports application featuring official NBA content available on mobile carriers in the U.S. Developed in conjunction with Hands-On Mobile, a leading developer of connected games and applications, "NBA 2 Go" will provide NBA fans with access to daily video highlights, customized information about their favorite teams and players, and countless news stories.

Throughout the NBA season, "NBA 2 Go" will deliver access to NBA video highlights on mobile including complete game recaps, daily top plays, and select player interviews. Additionally, the new platform will feature live, text-based, game play-by-play, complete box scores and extensive photo galleries. Read more

September 2007– Accu-Length’s new clubs for young girls aren’t just pretty in pink, they’re pretty darn effective on the golf course, too.

Accu-Length, the makers of the one-of-a-kind expandable junior golf clubs that were recently a top item on Golf Digest’s well-respected “Hot List,” has introduced a new line of pink clubs specifically for young girls – its first products designed specifically for females - in the 500 and 1000 sets.

The new pink clubs combine with Accu-Length’s new and unique hybrid club to give the company a dynamic duo of products that consumers can choose from as they look for the ultimate clubs to help their youngsters in the 2007 golf season, and beyond. Read more

September 17, 2007 - Football fans have two reasons to be excited this fall: the beginning of the NFL season and the start of Peyton Manning’s relationship with NERF. Hasbro, Inc. announced earlier in the year that it is once again teaming up with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning in a wide-ranging product and promotional alliance centering on the company’s popular NERF brand.

“I’ve been participating in fast-paced competitive activities since I was a kid – activities that brought me to where I am today as an NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champion,” Manning said. “One of the things I really enjoyed as a kid was playing with NERF footballs with my brothers, so I am thrilled to be part of the NERF team once again.” Read more

August 2007 – The USTA just announced the additions of rising musical superstar Sean Kingston, Singer/Actress Keke Palmer and former Saturday Night Live funnyman Chris Kattan to its impressive lineup of celebrity participants for the annual Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day presented by Hess on Saturday, August 25 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. Previously announced performers and participants include Kat DeLuna, 2007 MTV VMA Monster Video of the Year nominee Lil Mama, The Jonas Brothers, Tony Hawk, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Serena Williams, Daisy Fuentes and Quddus. The full-day tennis and music festival for children and families kicks off the 2007 US Open, which runs from August 27 - September 9.

Admission is FREE for the Grounds Festival, which runs from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. The event will also feature a live tennis and music stadium show hosted by Daisy Fuentes and Quddus from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., with performances by Sean Kingston, Kat DeLuna, Lil Mama and The Jonas Brothers. Prior to the stadium show, kids and families can experience an exciting schedule of free interactive tennis games and attractions taking place throughout the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Read more

Aug. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Garmin today announced the Forerunner 50 -- an affordable, sleek and intelligent way to help runners and walkers track their workouts, automatically store their data and reach their personal fitness goals. The announcement strengthens Garmin's role as an innovation leader in the fitness world and reinforces the company's commitment to enriching its customers' lives.

"A healthy lifestyle doesn't have to come at a great sacrifice of time and money," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales, "and the Forerunner 50 provides runners, walkers and cyclists with a cost-effective training tool that is compact and convenient. Whether you're training diligently for a race or taking a leisurely stroll, the Forerunner 50 helps you get the most out of your time spent exercising." Read more

August 7, 2007 -- Hitachi America, Ltd. just announced that it has partnered with Athlon Sports to bring consumers the “Rush for 2000 Yards” online fantasy football contest, a promotion beginning in July and running through the end of the professional football season. The “Rush for 2000 Yards” contest allows participants to get involved in a unique form of fantasy football that zeroes in on running backs and the “smashmouth” part of professional football – the running game!

“Rush for 2000 Yards” (www.rushfor2000yards.com) allows contestants to choose a new running back from a professional football team each week to be their designated “rusher” and predict his yards and number of rushing attempts. Players will receive weekly emails detailing the results from each round as well as a fantasy newsletter. Weekly and Grand Prize winners will be determined based on participants’ aptitude at predicting each week’s top performing running backs and the player’s actual yards gained. Read more