Seattle Mariners & Nintendo go “High-Tech” for fans

Posted on April 23rd, 2008. Written by Emmett Jones.

You know, this technology stuff…its pretty interesting. Why, just today, I was on the internet machine when I saw an article about those tech-savvy Seattle Mariners, and their fans. Bill Hutchens of The News Tribune reports,

Nintendo announced Tuesday that Mariners fans can use their DS game players to access the stadium’s wireless Nintendo Fan Network free of charge. The network allows DS owners to track player stats, watch stadium video and access other Major League Baseball information.

The Nintendo Fan Network, exclusive to Safeco, allows DS owners to experience interactive content that can enhance their ballpark experience, said Mariners spokeswoman Rebecca Hale.

Fans that bring their DS to the park (and yes, you can purchase Seattle Mariner themed Nintendo DS’s) will have access to stats for the Mariners and the opposing team, check scores on other games throughout the country, listen to the local radio coverage, order food, send stadium wide text messages, even check the trajectory, pitch type, and speed of all of the pitches, thanks to a program called Pitch Effect.

Is this an interesting service? Of course. The techie in me wants to go buy a DS and go to Seattle just to try it out. But is it really just a bunch of hot air? Ordering food? easy enough. Checking stats? the scoreboard usually does a decent job of that. Other scores? scoreboard again. Text messages? Who doesn’t have a cell phone nowadays? In fact, the only completely novel feature is the Pitch Effect that I mentioned earlier. That combined with the idea that you have to already have a Nintendo DS, or shell out the money to buy one, makes this a little less exciting. In the future, I’d love to see this same goal accomplished by using a cell phone (although cell phones with internet access can basically already accomplish all of the goals of the Fan Network), or something else that a larger portion of the Safeco fans would have.

Nintendo and the Mariners…interesting concept and probably a profitable one (assuming its marketed to children correctly), but I think I’ll wait for some more novel features before I buy my DS and head to Seattle.

The News Tribune: Nintendo brings expanded Fan Network to Safeco Field

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