ECHL ECHL

'Reverse Auction' For Steelheads Jersey Debuts B2inVenue

February 14, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL in association with B2 Networks, the "Official Broadband Broadcast Provider of the ECHL" and the Idaho Steelheads announced that fans will have the opportunity to bid in a 'Reverse Auction' for the opportunity to own one of the limited-edition jerseys being worn by the Steelheads for their series against Las Vegas on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Inspired by the St. Luke's Saving Hearts logo, the limited-edition Steelheads jerseys are blue and white with the Steelheads logo, a red stripe down the side and a red electrocardiogram readout across the waist.

It is the first practical application of B2inVenue, a new system developed by B2 Networks to allow the use of cellular telephones and personal data assistants for text auctions. The system was unveiled in January at the 2007 ECHL All-Star Game in Idaho and was a huge success.

The objective in a 'Reverse Auction' is to submit the lowest unique bid which provides and opportunity for fans with limited budgets to participate. If duplicate bids are received, the B2inVenue system will notify both bidders that their bid is no longer unique and therefore cannot be chosen as the winner for the reverse auction. Fans then have the option to submit a new bid. There is not a limit on the number of bids that can be submitted, however, for each bid submitted there will be a charge of $1.99 made to the bidder's cellular telephone bill.

To submit a bid fans use their cellular telephone and text the letters "EI" followed by a dollar value with no decimals to the number 80566. For example, a bid of $0.01 would be sent as "EI 001" while a bid of $1.10 would be sent as "EI 110".

The 'Reverse Auction' is currently open and will close at 9 p.m. MT on Feb. 17 at which point the individual with the lowest unique bid will be notified and given instructions on how to pick up their jersey.

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 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. B2 Networks broadcast a National Hockey League preseason game between the Washington Capitals and the Philadelphia Flyers and in the past year has broadcast more than 3,000 hockey games at all levels including the championships from four different leagues.

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. The 2005 Kelly Cup Finals were the most-watched playoff series ever carried by B2 Networks highlighted by Game 6 of the National Conference Finals which had the highest number of subscribers of any event with more than 1,400 users.

B2 Networks
B2 Networks is a premier provider of reliable and secure international television and video broadcasting systems, pay per view and billing systems. Our 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 319 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 174 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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