• CoSIDA members
Sign-Up NOW for the CoSIDA Connection text-messaging service!
• See TextCaster's College Sports Connection web page for detailed information, features & testamonials from athletic communicators)
• Why mobile communications? Trends & statistics for 2012 and beyond
CoSIDA, the College Sports Information Directors of America national organization representing the athletic communications professionals in college athletics (www.cosida.com) and TextCaster (www.TextCaster.com) announced today that TextCaster has agreed to become an official CoSIDA corporate partner.
Through this multi-year agreement, TextCaster will serve as a strategic partner for CoSIDA’s growing mobile-based communications efforts, and will be CoSIDA’s official and exclusive text messaging services provider. TextCaster is the newest addition to CoSIDA’s corporate partner program and has signed a two-year, gold level contract within CoSIDA’s sponsorship structure.
In business since 2003, TextCaster is a leader in the field of mobile communications and supports collegiate athletics through its patented "Sports Connection" content delivery platform. The TextCaster platform is a permission-based messaging system currently being used at every level of collegiate athletics to enrich the fan experience, enhance internal communications and increase revenue for athletic departments.
“TextCaster is honored to be chosen as an official mobile communication partner of CoSIDA and its official and exclusive provider of the organization’s text messaging services,” said Mike Sadler, TextCaster Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing Programs. “We fully expect this partnership to be the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial relationship with CoSIDA and its members.”
CoSIDA will be using TextCaster’s “Sports Connection” to help connect its extensive network of collegiate athletic communications professionals across the country. Through this Sports Connection application, which member schools and conferences can license for their own use, the 2,700-plus CoSIDA members can elect to receive time-sensitive information directly to their mobile devices.
CoSIDA members can sign up for this new service here: http://bit.ly/vyWCzz
“Over the years it’s been rewarding to see TextCaster used by a growing number of collegiate athletic departments, especially in support of all men’s and women’s sports teams,” noted Rob Sweeney, Founder and CEO of TextCaster. “It lets athletic communicators send scores and team information to the family and friends of student-athletes who really want this information quickly. Sponsors of the TextCaster application benefit from broad brand recognition while athletic departments generate a new source of revenue.”
“CoSIDA is thrilled to welcome TextCaster to the growing CoSIDA corporate partner family,” stated Tom Di Camillo, 2011-12 CoSIDA President who serves as Central Arizona College Director of Public Relations and Assistant Commissioner for the Pacific West Conference. “CoSIDA recognizes and embraces the growing trend and need for collegiate athletic departments to send time-sensitive information to mobile devices via text message. Through our TextCaster alliance, CoSIDA will now have an important new digital communications platform to instantly reach our members, colleagues and associates within the intercollegiate athletic community.”
“Next-generation mobile communications is growing at a rapid pace and mobile technology and instant communication continues to change the way that we live, communicate and connect to others,” concluded Di Camillo. “As strategic communicators, to have this text-messaging service available for our organizational and members’ needs is the important next step in our communications strategy and outreach.”
TextCaster has built an extensive clientele that represents a significant presence in the fields of media, education, enterprise, public safety, faith-based organizations, non-profits and collegiate athletics. TextCaster has clients using the “Sports Connection” application at every level of collegiate athletics.
To learn more about TextCaster’s application for collegiate athletics, “Sports Connection”, please visit www.TextCaster.com/cosida. For more information on CoSIDA visit www.cosida.com.
Contacts:
Barb Kowal
Director of External Affairs
CoSIDA
512.729.1234
barbkowal@cosida.com
Mike Sadler
Senior Vice President – Sports Marketing Programs
TextCaster
816.268.2589
mike.sadler@textcaster.com
Why Mobile Communications? Trends & Statistics for 2012 & Beyond
• Over 323 million cell phones are in use in the U.S.
• 30% of U.S. households do not have a landline
• 99% of mobile phones are text message capable and over 50% are smartphones
• 21-49 year olds send 73% of all text messages
• 40 to 55 year olds is the fastest growing text message demographic
• 90% of text messages are read by the recipient and within 90 seconds
• 196.9 Billion text messages are sent per month
• Text messaging is non-spam technology and consumers provide their permission – They want your message!
Additional mobile comm facts:
1. The growth of the iPhone was 10 times faster than the growth of America Online. (Source: Nielsen)
2. It takes 26 hours for the average person to report a lost wallet. It takes 68 minutes for them to report a lost phone. (Source: Unisys)
3. There are 6.8 billion people on the planet. 5.1 billion of them own a cell phone, but only 4.2 billion own a toothbrush. (Source: Mobile Marketing Association Asia)
4. In some countries, there are more mobile subscriptions than there are people [as some people own more than one mobile phone] (Source: Mobile Marketing Association)
5. It takes 90 minutes for the average person to respond to an email. It takes 90 seconds for the average person to respond to a text message. (Source: CTIA.org)
6. 70% of all mobile searches result in action within 1 hour. (Source: Mobile Marketer)
7. Mobile coupons get 10 times the redemption rate of traditional coupons. (Source: Borrell Associates)
8. There are more mobile phones on the planet than there are TVs. (Source: Jupiter)
9. 91% of all U.S. citizens have their mobile device within reach 24/7. (Source: Morgan Stanley)