Thursday, April 06, 2006

In a letter that was addressed to the NFL's Vice President for Media Strategy, Brian Rolapp, Bodog.com Founder and Chief Executive Officer Calvin Ayre stated that Bodog.com's powerful brand, combined with its web presence, would complement the NFL's ongoing initiatives to expose professional football across non-traditional mediums.

"Here is a solid opportunity to blend a traditional form of entertainment with the new world of digital entertainment," says Ayre, the recent cover subject of Forbes magazine's "Billionaires" issue. "For more than a decade, Bodog.com has been pioneering new and innovative ways to enhance the online experience, so it would seem natural that we build a partnership with one of America's most popular entertainment brands, and change the way football is viewed by millions."

Bodog.com -- whose current customer base consists of tech-savvy sports fans and pop-culture watchers, many of whom follow the NFL -- made the offer after hearing news that the NFL's Internet rights agreement expires in May 2006. The league is considering a new deal that is likely to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

"Bodog.com has seen the power of the Internet first hand," says Ayre. "Securing the rights to the NFL's digital content would be an extremely strategic business move, and would align with our long-term business objectives."

Bodog.com, recently valued at more than $1 billion, has gone to great lengths to become one of the most recognized brands in the digital entertainment space. From its annual marketing conference, which attracts sports notables such as this year's speaker Earvin "Magic" Johnson, to its international record label and self-produced television programs that air on major U.S. networks, Bodog.com has made an indelible impression on the entertainment world.

At 11 p.m. on April 15, 2006, the Bodog Television co-produced series Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker will begin airing on a major US cable network.