CrowdOptic Announces Partnership With Extreme Networks to Deliver Google Glass Broadcasting on Wi-Fi Networks

SAN FRANCISCO, CA and SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwired - March 27, 2014) - CrowdOptic, a maker of mobile and wearable broadcasting applications for live sports, today announced a technology partnership with Extreme Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXTR), a leading provider of high performance network solutions. The partnership will lead to tighter integration of the two companies' products, which are highly complementary and serve many of the same customers and markets. 

CrowdOptic, which is in use by arenas and sports franchises including the Sacramento Kings and the Indiana Pacers, broadcasts the live streaming views from Google Glass to stadium digital media, like jumbotrons, as well as to fan devices. 

"Our solution is a natural fit for bundling with Wi-Fi," said CrowdOptic CEO Jon Fisher. "Arenas are able to utilize the bandwidth provided through the Wi-Fi network they have in place to add new capabilities that dazzle fans, like watching a player who is broadcasting live while wearing Google Glass, and inheriting that player's first-person view through the fan's own device." 

Under the partnership with Extreme Networks, the CrowdOptic platform will eventually be offered as an optional add-on with enterprise Wi-Fi installations. "Our goal through integration is to make the enterprise solution easy for our customers to manage and deploy, and have it be tested and optimized for use within their Wi-Fi infrastructure," said CrowdOptic's Fisher.

CrowdOptic's broadcasting platform includes features which let certain Google Glass wearers share views with other wearers in the crowd, as well as broadcast out to an entire sports arena through the jumbotron. Since its inception in 2010, CrowdOptic has received funding, from Silicon Valley Bank (NASDAQ: SIVB) and other key investors, which has aided the company in offering its Google Glass broadcasting software off the shelf and rapidly onboarding enterprise customers.

"The ability to broadcast live from devices like Google Glass over Wi-Fi makes for an amazing and memorable in-venue experience for the fan," said Norman Rice, SVP of corporate development at Extreme Networks. "We are very pleased to partner with CrowdOptic as the first to offer this game-changing technology as part of a sporting venue Wi-Fi package. In addition, we are excited to include CrowdOptic capabilities in offerings made available to our NFL Club and collegiate partners."

About CrowdOptic
CrowdOptic is a new crowd-powered "heat" signal -- the next evolution of location-based services that recognizes the hottest crowd activity in real time as it occurs, and also after the fact, through powerful analytics. By tracking where electronic devices are located and where they are pointed, CrowdOptic can instantly filter mobile media and create new opportunities for eyewitness engagement. CrowdOptic identifies, tags and rebroadcasts the live event experience to the world, on mobile, social TV and second screens. CrowdOptic is used around the world to power a wide range of apps that let users aim their phones to connect, report news, find friends, alternate broadcasts, cast a vote and discover others who share their focus and interests. CrowdOptic is a privately-held, venture-backed company based in San Francisco. www.crowdoptic.com.

About Extreme Networks
Extreme Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXTR) is setting a new standard for superior customer experience by delivering network-powered innovation and market leading service and support. The company delivers high-performance switching and routing products for data center and core-to-edge networks, wired/wireless LAN access, and unified network management and control. Our award-winning solutions include software-defined networking (SDN), cloud and high-density Wi-Fi, BYOD and enterprise mobility, identity access management and security. Extreme Networks is headquartered in San Jose, CA and has more than 12,000 customers in over 80 countries. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.extremenetworks.com.

Extreme Networks, the Extreme Networks logo, and Purview are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Extreme Networks, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other names are the property of their respective owners.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including without limitation statements as to the features, performance, and benefits of Extreme Networks products, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to risks and uncertainties, including network design and actual results of use of the product in different environments. We undertake no obligation to update the forward-looking information in this release. Other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are contained in the Company's 10-Qs and 10-Ks that are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. http://www.sec.gov.