News

Goal.com partners with Handmark on free mobile app for footie fans

Networks & Network Services
Just in time for the FIFA World Cup Draw, Goal.com, the source for global football news, and Handmark, the creator and distributor of mobile applications and services, have announced the launch of Goal.com Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones.

The new mobile application delivers instant, real time access to breaking Goal.com football news, including the most extensive coverage of the FIFA World Cup Draw.

The application features easy to navigate tabs, including: Breaking News; World Cup 2010; Champions League; England; Italy; Spain; Transfer Zone.

Articles from Goal.com Mobile can be shared or saved via social bookmarking, email and social networking sites. The application also features a customizable “My Feeds” tab where users can access their own favourite news feeds or team-specific information.

Goal.com is known for its colourful, in depth editorial content and breaking news, covering all the major international football leagues including The World Cup, Premier League, Serie A and La Liga. Its team of live, on location reporters publishes up to 125 articles per day in more than 17 languages around the world, including English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.

“Our loyal fans around the world want to have round-the-clock instant access to the latest football news and updates, especially during the World Cup season” said Joan Blaas, VP of Mobile for Goal.com. “Handmark was able to help us deliver a simple, easy to navigate, easy to read application that helps us deliver on the wants and needs of our fans by making our content available wherever, whenever.”

Goal.com Mobile is powered by the Handmark Mobile Publishing Platform (MPP), which enables newspapers, magazines and other content providers around the world to launch their own branded, always-on personalised mobile applications quickly and easily. In addition to the development of the applications, Handmark is the only provider to support distribution, monetization and maintenance of its partners’ mobile applications. Goal.com Mobile is the latest addition to more than 30 mobile applications powered by the Handmark MPP.

“As a huge football fan myself, I love having instant access to the latest news and updates,” said Evan Conway, EVP of Marketing at Handmark. “We are excited to bring the leading provider of football information to a new mobile audience.”

Handmark and Goal.com plan to release Goal.com Mobile in multiple languages and additional platforms, including iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile and J2ME-based devices, in the coming months.