MIDDLETOWN, R.I., Dec. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq:KVHI), and Pilipinas Global Network Limited (PGNL) today announced a deal to bring coverage of Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) full games to merchant ships.
Under the terms of the agreement, KVH will distribute PBA games for the 43rd and 44th PBA seasons, which begin with the Philippine Cup on December 17, 2017. A men’s professional basketball league, the PBA was the first such league in Asia and its popularity throughout the region is widespread. However, many of those fans miss out on seeing games because they serve onboard commercial vessels; throughout the global shipping industry, Filipinos comprise the single greatest number of seafarers.
The PBA games will be delivered via satellite to vessels subscribed to KVH’s SPORTSlinkTM and IP-MobileCastTM content delivery service for multicasting news, sports, and entertainment at sea. Onboard, seafarers will be able to access the full PBA games on mobile devices, desktops, and televisions, enjoying the basketball action without adding communications costs or affecting vessel communications performance.
“PGNL is devoted to bringing the PBA closer to every Filipino overseas. This partnership with KVH is a step toward reaching out to seafarers who would want to experience the PBA while they’re away from home,” says Ernesto D. Sta. Maria, Jr., PGNL president and CEO. “We work hard to make sure that more Filipinos all over the world get to enjoy quality sports content from PGNL.”
Additionally, KVH will include more PBA reporting in its current SPORTSlink coverage of basketball news from around the world. KVH will also add a new, year-round basketball special edition to its NEWSlinkTM Print service, which provides news to thousands of seafarers on vessels worldwide.
“We are very excited to work with PGNL to bring the PBA to the maritime market,” says Candice Pascal, KVH vice president for content acquisition. “We are committed to providing content experiences that will boost morale and help seafarers feel more connected to home. This is the first opportunity crew will have to really engage with the PBA. Professional basketball is a popular sport among seafarers, and we are confident that watching the games will enhance their time at sea.”
KVH is an innovator in delivering news, sports, and entertainment content to vessels at sea, having introduced the IP-MobileCast service in 2014 as a solution for affordable satellite delivery of large multimedia files to ships. The patented IP-MobileCast service is notable for several technological advancements: Content is delivered over the top of KVH’s mini-VSAT BroadbandSM network so there is no charge for the delivery, only for the content itself; the multicasting transmission does not affect the vessel’s onboard data speed; and the content can be stored on an onboard server and made accessible to multiple devices.
Note to Editors: For more information about KVH’s content delivery service, please visit the IP-MobileCast website, http://www.ipmobilecast.com. High-resolution images of KVH products are available at the KVH Press Room Image Library, http://www.kvh.com/Press-Room/Image-Library.aspx.
About KVH Industries, Inc.
KVH Industries is a leading provider of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 200,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on vessels and vehicles. KVH is also a leading news, music, and entertainment content provider to many industries including maritime, retail, and leisure. VideotelTM, a KVH company, is a market-leading provider of training films, computer-based training and eLearning. KVH is based in Middletown, RI, with research, development, and manufacturing operations in Middletown, RI, and Tinley Park, IL. The company’s global presence includes offices in Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, Denmark, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Norway, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
KVH, SPORTSlink, IP-MobileCast, NEWSlink, and Videotel are trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. mini-VSAT Broadband is a service mark of KVH Industries, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For further information, please contact:
Jill Connors
Media Relations & Industry Analyst Manager
KVH Industries, Inc.
Tel: +1 401 851 3824
jconnors@kvh.com