The National Football League has launched its NFL Mobile Live application for Sprint's Palm Pre, uploading to the handset automatically during the over-the-air software update from Palm.

The mobile application from Sprint is meant to give users exclusive NFL content such as information for fantasy football players and sports fans to stay updated in real time. The launch of NFL Mobile Live comes just in time for training camp, as football fans are gearing up for another eventful season.

"We are trying to increase acquisition to Sprint's Now Network and reward our base customers who are NFL fans with another avenue to get their NFL information," said Mark Evans, sports marketing manager at Sprint, Overland Park, KS.

"We are offering this application to Sprint customers with a data plan -- free of charge with unlimited usage," he said. "This is about giving fans the ability to get their NFL fix wherever they might be.

Whenever Palm Pre users accept the update to Palm webOS 1.1.0, NFL Mobile Live automatically installs itself as part of the update and can be found using the phone's universal search.

As the '09 season kicks off, fantasy football players will start to track player performance and injuries.

The application lets users watch NFL Network live anytime and gives users access to on-demand video highlights, injury reports, statistics, breaking news and analysis from experts in and on the field.

Once the first kick-off is underway, users will be able to manage their NFL.com fantasy teams from their Palm Pre phone and monitor player performance in real time.

"The NFL is the nation's most-popular sport and mobile gives fans the ability to follow that sport as they live their lives," Mr. Evans said.

"People are busy on weekends and with NFL Mobile you can track your fantasy team with real-time text alerts, listen to live radio broadcasts, watch NFL Network TV telecasts live and get a bevy of other news -- all as it happens," he said.

Information about the players will be accessible at all times, giving fans real-time game and season cumulative statistics, rankings, player profiles and photos.

The NFL Mobile Live applications is one of the most popular apps in Palm's App Catalogue, accumulating an impressive 1 million downloads more quickly than any other app in Sprint's history.

NFL Mobile Live is available to Sprint customers exclusively on select handsets.

Part of the strategy behind this application launch involves leveraging the simple user interface of the Palm Pre so that users can move quickly between features in the application.

Sprint is spreading the word about the new NFL Mobile Live via national advertising such as print, broadcast on both radio and TV, online, and in select game-day programs.

"The NFL has the largest displaced fan base of any sport, and Sprint NFL Mobile Live gives them the ability to follow their favorite team with content such as scores, stats and breaking news, but also via live radio broadcasts," Mr. Evans said.

"So, if you're a Tampa Bay fan living in Tulsa you not only get content but also can listen to Tampa Bay's radio guys call the game, so you get the hometown flavor," he said.