WFNY Exclusive: Andy Baskin Talks Post-LeBron Media Coverage
October 12, 2010The 5-Hole: Blue Jackets News and Notes – 10/12/10
October 12, 2010
OK, I’m sold.
Last Friday, I received a package from the Cleveland Browns. I opened it up and found heaven in a box. The FanVision handheld device, free for the 2010 season. So what exactly is it?
FanVision was created and developed by Dolphins owner and Michigan graduate Stephen Ross. Its a 4.3″ LCD screen that is designed to enhance the in-stadium, in-game experience for NFL fans. The Browns are one of 12 NFL teams involved in this pilot program in 2010 (Michigan is the only college stadium to have it). The plan is to have FanVision in all NFL stadiums next year. This year’s introductory price is $199, though it’s listed at $259. There is also a $5 per game subscription fee involved.
So what does this FanVision handheld device get you:
- Fan controlled instant replays
- Live audio and video of other games including NFL Red Zone Channel
- Local audio programming
- Enter your fantasy team and track the stats
- Personalized content on 10 channels
- Live camera feeds from multiple angles
- Pregame and postgame analysis
- Spilt screen to watch the game and other scores
- Live stats for the games
- Access to exclusive local team content
The catch for this WiFi device is that it only works inside your stadium or venue enabled with the FanVision broadcast technology.
Now you have the lowdown on what it does. Let me give you a review of the product, straight from a test user (me). A disclaimer first – I am a Fantasy Football lover. So for me, this device is perfection.
To the right of the screen, there are arrows to help toggle through, along with a “video” button and a “stats” button. Before the game, I clicked the stats button and was easily able to plug in my fantasy team. During the game, if I wanted to check on my team, I just clicked the “stats” button again and I had the option to view the stats of the game I was attending (both team and player), all other on-going NFL games, my fantasy team, or the leaderboard on the day for all NFL players.
In order words, this is a fantasy players dream device.
Now to the video/audio portion. If you click on the “video” button, a menu of options pop up for “Live” or “Replay.” The live menu lists the game you are attending’s Fox or CBS broadcast, the NFL Red Zone channel (which is incredible), plus the other in-division games for your home team. You can also watch the Browns scoreboard feed if you want, or the 50 yard line cam, or the 25 yard line cam, depending on the side of the field the ball is on.
The replay menu gives you multiple angles to see the last play, which pop up two seconds after the play ends. FanVision also gives you their suggestion of what the “best” replay option is, and they denote that in blue. When your game is in “The Red Zone,” red lights pop up around your arrows.
You can also listen to the local radio broadcast if you’d like, using your headphone jack.
Worried about the battery power? Don’t be. I had mine on the entire game and at halftime (you can watch the NFL Network, CBS, or Fox’s halftime show if you’d like as well), and still half the battery power left.
I’m telling you, this is an incredible device. I absolutely loved it. If I wasn’t watching a replay of Peyton Hillis’s spectacular TD grab from one of three angles, then I was checking my fantasy teams stats, which update instantly. While they do show a lot of replays on the big screen at Browns Stadium, they don’t show them all. Wanna see a innocuous special teams tackle by the great Blake Costanzo? No problem, FanVision’s got you covered.
The Browns are rolling out complimentary devices out to selected Season Ticket Holders week to week. All Club Seat and Suite owners got them earlier this season. Ours arrived last week, the same for friends of mine who have regular season seats. In a letter attached to with the devices, the Browns denoted that “all FanVision devices remain property of the Cleveland Browns,” so I will have to determine whether or not I want to go forward with it next year or send it back.
It may be a generational thing. My uncle, a 70 year old, Old School Browns fan thinks it is cool for replays, but doesn’t have a use for it. Me on the other hand? It took me one game to think I can’t go to the game without one.
To learn more, go to FanVision.com
photo taken by TD/WFNY at Sunday’s Browns/Falcons game
22 Comments
good article. and per the photo, great call on watching the bears/panthers on the device…4-1!
Simply amazing. Completely revolutionizes the experience of being a fan. This solves 90% of my issues with going to Browns games. Now if only I could do something about the drive to and from Cleveland.
The price on this thing is outrageous. I have the luxury of having an iPhone along with NFL Sunday Ticket and it’s “To-Go” option. With that combination I have an app on the iPhone that allows me to watch any 1pm or 4pm game I want full broadcast no restrictions. Along with that I also have access to highlights and stats through the app. Given I need more detailed stats… fine… all I have to do is switch over to my Yahoo Fantasy Football app or my ESPN SportsCenter app. The best part about all of this you ask? I don’t have to be in the stadium to use it… what kind of crap is that?
Honestly this device sounds like an overpriced money sink. If you want to spend $250 just get NFL Sunday Ticket and To-Go for the entire season… it’s the same price.
At least you have something else to do at a Browns game since you won’t miss much watching the Browns.
Ps. NFL Sunday Ticket To-Go also allows you to watch any game you want from your laptop or computer too.
This thing sounds pretty cool….
I have a few comments/observations though
I went to the game against the Bengals a few weeks back.
I have the new Motorola Droid X through Verizon that happens to have the NFL Network App (Live NFL Redzone Channel Feed, Game Tracker similar to ESPN.com, Fantasy Stats, and Audio of every game)…many of the same features (less the stadium camera feed and replay options)….only problem was that many of the features were disabled while I was in the immediate vicinity of the stadium….I was really bummed, and now realize that this is a probably a result of FanVision.
I don’t blame them, but it stinks that they’re crippling other devices capable of doing many of the same things to make an extra buck.
TD….did you happen to try the thing in the parking lot before you got into the stadium? Did it only work during the game from 1:00 to 4:00, or did it work before and after gametime?
The reason I ask, is this could be a pretty handy tool in the future for tailgating in the parking lot before, during, and after the games. Especially if in future models they include an HDMI out port like many of the new mobile phones…plug that bad boy into the TV in the lot and you’re good to go.
@7 I’m sure they either have or will figure out a way that if your not inside the stadium the thing won’t work. It makes no sense any other way. It’s just like charging to tailgate, nice.
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/sports/nfl_online_mobile
Sunday ticket is $320, and then the To-Go add on is an additional $50. So it’s actually $370 for that combination. Not to mention the fact that plenty of people don’t have DirecTV and don’t want DirecTV. It’s great that you have it and it works for you, but for me, this device is exactly what I need. Sure, there are similar apps for phones, but there’s so much data traffic at sporting events that most cell phones are rendered more or less useless for streaming large chunks of data like this.
“Last Friday, I received a package from the Cleveland Browns. I opened it up and found heaven in a box,” maybe one day there will be playoff tickets or something huh? Sorry, couldn’t resist.
@1 – sorry, that was the crawl at the top. if u look closely, it was the Browns game
@7 – I works in the outside perimeter of the stadium. Its like a WiFi network. The farther away from the stadium you get, the worse the signal is.
How about just watching the dam game. Another way to throw money away to the Browns. Your cell phone can do the majority of this stuff.
“Your cell phone can do the majority of this stuff.”
Assuming that the entire cell network isnt clogged with 70,000 people trying to text/email/phone/check scores.
I saw this on Sunday as well – I’d be all over it if I was a season ticket holder.
I’d be all over this thing if it worked via Wi-Fi outside the stadium. Living in C-bus, half the Browns games don’t get played on tv and I’m forced to scrounge the internet for a live feed, which usually doesn’t work anyways. Why can’t they make this thing out of stadium too? Probably because DirecTV would get pissed?
I like that they are trying to make people enjoy going to the games BUT it is way too expensive for anyone who doesn’t go to every home game each year.
Set up rental stations and let fans rent them for $20 per game and I would be sold.
Eh, no thanks. When I am at the game, I want to be at the game. Chatting with my friends and the people around me, soaking up the environment (and overpriced beer and terrible food), the whole thing. Now if the NFL would just come up with a sensible cost effective way to watch/listen to games online (like mlb and nba) without forcing the consumer subscribe to unwanted/unneeded services (direct tv). I don’t even have the desire to watch games or access data on my phone, I just want to be able to buy a package to watch games online. Period, simple, easy, user friendly (I had this complaint about the world cup too, hence watching games on univision online, en espanol!). I guess this is wishful thinking like a la carte cable tv plans.
I’m a season ticket holder and haven’t yet received mine. HULK SMASH!
Also, Andrew:
Now if only I could do something about the drive to and from Cleveland.
Needs more car-pooling with DP.
The NFL Sunday Ticket price I listed was including the discount that we get for being recurring subscribers.
Also, I am in no way saying everyone wants direcTV, but the item in this article is selling people services they already have access to for a huge price tag. If you have the money go for it and enjoy it… I would too if $250 was no big deal. However, for the common crowd that attends Cleveland Browns football games… this price tag just screams failure.
My parents mentioned they got one, but I didn’t yet despite being a season ticket holder. Weird. Looks really cool, though. I’m wondering if it would work in other stadiums that have it if I get mine, like here in NYC.
I’m sure someone will hack it soon enough so it works everywhere.
I don’t like it since the guy who invented it went to Michigan. /Braylon’d
I don’t think it’s as simple as it working everywhere like a cell phone and you’re just being restricted. All of that information has to come from a source. The source(s) right now are in the football stadiums. So, it might be cool to use it at a sports bar, but if there’s no source there providing the data/stats/video, it won’t do much good to have it at a sports bar.
I hope WFNY doesn’t go by way of other popular blog sites and start shilling gizmos for free merchandise. I’m just saying…..