Rice, MaxVu To Offer Streaming Video Of Owl Sports

HOUSTON - The Rice University athletics department will be one of the first in the country to have live streaming game video on the Internet of selected home athletic contests. Beginning with the men's basketball game on Jan. 11 against the University of Tulsa, fans can log onto the Internet at www.maxvusports.tv and watch the games live on their computers.

The subscription-based serviced was created by by MaxVu Sports Broadcasting Network (MSBN), subsidiary of MaxVU, Inc., a Houston-based company, which teamed with the Owls to bring fans this exciting new way to see their favorite teams play live on the Internet.

"We are extremely pleased that the Rice Owls and their fans are on the cutting edge of technology in bringing games live into the homes around the world on OwlVision," said Mike Pede', Rice's associate AD for marketing and media relations. "For a very small fee, fans around the country can now see athletic events each year, right in the comfort of their own homes. And the fans of the teams with which we compete can now see their teams play as well. It is truly a great day for Rice athletics and its supporters."

Rice will offer the Tulsa game on Jan. 11, 2003, and the women's game against Hawaii on Jan. 30, free of charge. Links to OwlVision are located at RiceOwls.com or at www.MaxVusports.tv. Following those games, all scheduled baseball games will be available to viewers at a low subscription cost of only $8 per game. Season packages for the baseball season are also available. Rice baseball, coming off of its third College World Series appearance, is scheduled to make 20 appearances on OwlVision, including games against defending national champion Texas, Texas A&M, Houston, Nebraska, and Mississippi.

"This is truly groundbreaking," said Gregory Demetriades, CEO of MSBN. "The Rice athletic department has been very forward thinking and we are excited to bring our new software applications and technology to a school that thrives on being on the cutting edge of the industry. Once we get Rice going and people see how great this technology is, I am sure that schools around the country are going to want to follow the Rice lead and bring these games home to their fans."

In addition to home access, MaxVU will have the ability to send the Internet streams out to sports venues such as restaurants.

The 2003 OwlVision game schedule is as follows:

Jan. 11 Men's Basketball vs. Tulsa, 2 pm (free view)
Jan. 30 Women's Basketball vs. Hawaii, 7 pm (free view)
Feb. 11 Baseball vs. Texas-San Antonio, 4 pm
Feb. 22 Baseball vs. Mississippi, noon
Mar. 1 Baseball vs. Southwest Texas State, 2 pm
Mar. 4 Baseball vs. Houston, 7 pm
Mar. 11 Baseball vs. Texas, 7 pm
Mar. 18 Baseball vs. Nebraska, 7 pm
Mar. 22 Baseball vs. Liberty, 2 pm
Mar. 25 Baseball vs. Baylor, 7 pm
Mar. 29 Baseball vs. San Jose State, 2 pm
Apr. 1 Baseball vs. Houston, 7 pm
Apr. 4 Baseball vs. Hawaii, 7 pm
Apr. 5 Baseball vs. Hawaii, 2 pm
Apr. 8 Baseball vs. Texas A&M, 7 pm
Apr. 18 Baseball vs. Nevada, 7 pm
Apr. 19 Baseball vs. Nevada, 2 pm
Apr. 24 Baseball vs. Louisiana Tech, 7 pm
Apr. 25 Baseball vs. Louisiana Tech, 7 pm
May 7 Baseball vs. Sam Houston State, 7 pm
May 24 Baseball vs. Fresno State, 2 pm
May 25 Baseball vs. Fresno State, 1 pm