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Wireless sports content to be $1B market this year

HAMPSHIRE, United Kingdom-Wireless revenues from sports-related applications will more than double this year, reaching $1.3 billion worldwide, according to a new report from Juniper Research.

European users will continue to set the pace among wireless sports fans this year, generating 69 percent of worldwide revenues from video clips, text updates and other applications, the report predicted. But uptake is expected to increase dramatically in both the United States and Asia, with the U.S. mobile sports market surpassing $1 billion by 2009.

While such services are just beginning to gain traction in most markets, content providers such as FoxSports, ESPN, Sports Illustrated and professional sports leagues will quickly attract wireless users, said Dr. Windsor Holden, who authored the report.

“Sports services-even news alerts-are a comparatively recent phenomenon in the U.S.,” Holden said. “As subscribers become more accustomed to using handsets for non-voice services, it seems likely sports content will be among the most popular-and lucrative-of U.S. mobile entertainment services.”

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