Must-have Gear For The Ultimate At-home Sports Entertainment Experience

By Author: MS
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Today's sports fans don't just want to watch the game, they want to immerse as much as possible. So, with football season kicking off, many will be on the hunt for the modern day multimedia tools and technologies that will allow them to fully engage in the ultimate sports experience, right in the comfort of their own homes.

When it comes to at-home sports entertainment, what may have been a luxury just a few short years ago has now become a necessity. Take high-definition television (HDTV) for example. In the CEA-SVG Third Annual Sports & Research Study, 40% of HDTV owners said they purchased their HDTVs specifically because of sports -- and among HDTV owners, 71% rate themselves as sports fans.

But it's not just about the equipment. The way fans are consuming sports entertainment is evolving as well. People want to access games, news, stats and more whenever they want and however they want, whether on their television screens, on their computers or on the go.

Fortunately fans don't have to reach too far to get what they want. Many of the must-have elements for the ultimate at-home sports entertainment ...
... experience are available through Comcast, the nation's leading information, communication and entertainment service provider.

High-Definition Is the Way to Go

If you can't be on the sidelines, nothing rivals watching a game in crystal-clear high-definition. HD offers the sharpest, most realistic picture and sound quality available, allowing sports enthusiasts to feel like they are right there in the midst of the action. Thanks to increased brand competition, the prices of HDTV plasma and LCD televisions are continuing to fall, says Consumer Reports, and industry experts project that 50% of American homes may own at least one HDTV by the end of the year.

But many consumers falsely think that just because they bought an HDTV they will automatically receive HD quality. Not so. Fans must first subscribe to an HD service such as the one Comcast provides, which offers dozens of HD channels and more than 500 HD programming choices. Comcast's HD offerings include all of the major broadcast and sports networks with a host of sports matches, commentary, news, specials, and much more.

In addition to ongoing programming and an array of pay-per-view sporting events to choose from throughout the year, Comcast offers a comprehensive selection of out-of-market sports packages including the NBA League Pass, MLB Extra Innings, NHL Center Ice, NASCAR, and more, allowing fans to follow all their favorite teams, regardless of where they reside. And Comcast's Sports Entertainment Package includes a host of networks including NFL Network, NBA TV, The Tennis Channel, Fox College Sports and more, plus highlights, behind the scenes footage and a host of HD programming choices.

The family of Comcast SportsNet channels provides the most comprehensive and entertaining coverage of the sports teams that matter most to fans - their home town teams. Serving leading markets across the nation, including seven of the ten largest cities in the country, Comcast SportsNet's channels provide game coverage live, in HD and ON DEMAND, along with lively, insightful local sports news and debate. Featuring game coverage of 18 professional teams and 2,400 live events each year, Comcast SportsNet has home town sports covered.

Customers can also tune to CN8, The Comcast Network, to watch original award-winning sports shows and exclusive local, regional and national sports events including top collegiate teams in football, basketball, ice hockey and lacrosse and an unparalleled line-up of competitive regional high-school football and basketball match-ups and playoffs.

Enjoy the Game -- On Your Schedule

For the ultimate sports fans it's not just a matter of catching "the game" -- they want to stay on top of all the games, and re-watch plays or highlights at their convenience. Comcast's signature On Demand service allows sports fans to watch the action they want, when and how they want it, whether they missed a match-up or want to relive spectacular moments. A variety of sports selections are available to Comcast Digital Cable customers via its On Demand service, giving sports enthusiasts games, highlights, sports news and more, on their schedules, and with the ability to fast-forward, pause or rewind any program.

Watch Now... or Later

Few things are more annoying than interruptions during a game. But sports fans never have to miss a moment if they have a digital video recorder (DVR). DVRs allow fans to pause and rewind live programming, or to record an entire game or special to watch later. So now sports buffs can watch the game when and how they want -- and as often as they like -- and can even record two games at once that are airing during conflicting times. Comcast's DVR service allows customers to easily record up to 80 hours of standard definition programming and up to 20 hours of HDTV.

High-Speed Gratification

For many, sports are about sharing the highs and lows of the game with others. They're about keeping in touch with buddies all around the country who are cheering with you or against you, checking scores and stats, or participating in online Fantasy Football games. Comcast High Speed Internet provides a platform for accomplishing all this and more.

The company also offers a number of online resources to help fans find the sports videos and information they want, including a Sports Channel on Comcast.net that offers up-to-the minute news, scores, standings and top videos from around the world of sports. Fans can also visit The Fan(TM), Comcast's broadband media player on Comcast.net, to view current sports videos. Sports programming, news, movies and documentaries are also available on Fancast.com, a unique site launched earlier this year as an online destination enabling users to watch, manage and find entertainment content wherever it's available.

Comcast can help cover all the bases for sports fans looking to create the perfect at-home entertainment experience this season. To learn more about the products and services available, contact Comcast at 1-800-COMCAST or visit www.comcast.com.