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Kelly Cup Playoffs Broadcast On B2 Networks For Fourth Straight Year

April 18, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - For the fourth year in a row, B2 Networks is broadcasting the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The first hockey game ever broadcast by B2 Networks was the Las Vegas Wranglers in February 2004 and the first hockey championship broadcast by B2 Networks was the 2004 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The "Official Broadband Broadcast Provider of the ECHL", B2 Networks has broadcast ECHL games the past four seasons, including the 2007 ECHL All-Star Game as well as every game of the conference finals and the Kelly Cup Finals each of the past three years.

The 2005 Kelly Cup Playoffs had more connections than any other hockey playoff series in B2 Networks history and the most viewers of any league in the postseason, including the 2005 Kelly Cup Finals which were the most-watched playoff series ever carried by B2 Networks.

The ECHL and B2 Networks announced a three-year extension to their agreement in March, which will provide ECHL fans with the largest and widest variety of services and options ever offered by B2 Networks.

B2 Networks will continue to telecast ECHL games live online for $6 per game, but beginning in 2007-08 will also offer fans the opportunity to purchase a "Season Ticket Package" for a one-time payment of $130 or seven monthly payments of $20. In addition to access to home and away regular season games, the "Season Ticket Package" also provides a "Highlights" section where teams will be able to feature as many as five highlights each week and access to the "B2 Networks ECHL Game of the Week".

B2 Networks is also going to offer B2toGo, a mobile network that will enable its subscribers to view ECHL games and highlights on mobile devices. Fans will have the opportunity to combine the "Season Ticket Package" and B2toGo for access to games and highlights from anywhere.

B2inVenue, a new system developed by B2 Networks to allow the use of cellular telephones and personal data assistants for text auctions, was unveiled in January at the 2007 ECHL All-Star Game in Idaho. B2inVenue will be integrated into more arenas and game events throughout the ECHL during the length of the new agreement.

During the current season, B2 Networks has broadcast a National Hockey League preseason game between the Washington Capitals and the Philadelphia Flyers, and provided live coverage of six games from the NCAA Division I hockey conference playoffs while continuing to be the official broadband broadcast provider for the AHL, the ECHL and the UHL. At the conclusion of the current hockey season, B2 Networks will have broadcast more than 6,000 hockey games at all levels including the championships from five different leagues.

B2 Networks

B2 Networks is a premier provider of reliable and secure international television and video broadcasting systems, pay per view and billing systems. Its network of arenas, stadiums, local venues, billing systems and data centers are currently in use to distribute live events to personal computers, mobile devices and television screens around the world. Working with organizations such as the National Lacrosse League, the AHL, ECHL, UHL, USHL and selected NCAA institutions, B2 Networks has established itself as a leader in innovative direct to home, mobile and television broadcasting. For more information about B2 Networks, visit www.B2Now.com.

ECHL

The league officially changed its name to ECHL on May 19, 2003.

The Premier 'AA' Hockey League, the ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 30 teams in the National Hockey League in 2006-07. There have been 329 former ECHL players who have gone on to play in the NHL after playing in the ECHL, including a record 47 in 2005-06. There have been 184 players who have played in the NHL after the ECHL in the past five seasons.

The ECHL was represented for the sixth consecutive year on the National Hockey League championship team, including Carolina Hurricanes head coach Peter Laviolette, who is the first ECHL coach to win the Stanley Cup.

The ECHL has affiliations with 24 of the 27 teams in the American Hockey League in 2006-07 and for the past 17 years there has been an ECHL player on the Calder Cup champion. The ECHL has had more players called up to the AHL than all other professional leagues combined each of the past four seasons with 1,646 call ups involving almost 1,000 players.

Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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