The NHL's Phoenix Coyotes are bringing real-time texting features to the hockey fans at the Jobing.com Arena.

The promotions range from live SMS polling, picture to screen and text to screen. The Coyotes tapped Txtstation to power the messaging initiatives.

"The Coyotes like to do text alerts and our role is to expand their SMS initiatives by letting consumers interact with real-time, broadcast-quality graphics on the scoreboard," said Michael Falato, vice president of sales and business development for Txtstation, Austin, TX.

"The Coyotes asked us, 'How can we communicate with our fans year round?' and they decided to send out alerts to their fans and engage with them in the stadium via SMS," he said.

The SMS to screen programs started Oct. 1.

Fans can get their picture on the scoreboard by using their mobile phone, respond to polls via text message and see the results on the giant video screen and text in to vote for each game's MVP.

Consumers can also text keyword HOWL to short code 55333 to get SMS alerts from the Coyotes.

One of the Coyotes' goals was to build up a mobile database to send out special offers and promotions from themselves or sponsors such as AT&T.

"They're using mobile to activate their sponsor AT&T, which ties into AT&T's brand," Mr. Falato said. "Teams are looking for fun ways to engage fans, and sponsors are looking for a way to activate their sponsorship with fans and viewers.

"It's about branding, building a mobile database and driving them to take advantage of certain offers or promotions," he said. "With texting, it's opt-in, and it's instantaneous."

During games fans will asked to engage in real-time with the center video board.

When fans vote they see their selection light up in real time on the video board, letting them see the results of the SMS poll as they're texting in.

When fans text in, they get a bounce-back message thanking them for participating, asking them if they'd like to join the Coyotes' text club for future promotions.

Txtstation averages anywhere from 3 to 15 percent response rate inside of stadiums and sports arenas, although the Coyotes did not release the specific results of this campaign so far.

"The Coyotes wanted more engaging, higher quality mobile programs," Mr. Falato said. "We work with the Flyers, Sharks, Caps, a bunch of NHL teams already, so we have experience in this area."

The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, AZ, just outside of Phoenix.

They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena.

Their coach and co-owner is hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.

The Coyotes were founded in 1972 as the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association, joining the NHL in 1979 and moving to Phoenix in 1996.

Their home ice was at the U.S. Airways Center, then known as America West Arena, for seven years until 2003, when Jobing.com Arena opened.

Txtstation is a mobile marketing company specializing in sports and entertainment.

The company enables broadcasters, event owners, sponsors and general media to communicate with viewers or fans directly through mobile phones, Internet and landlines.

Txtstation creates one-to-one real-time dialog with consumers at specific times and places such as events, concerts and live or pre-recorded broadcasts.

Txtstation offers its services and connections to more than 100 countries, and is currently working in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Italy and South Africa.

"Coyotes fans enjoy interacting with the team and we wanted to provide our fans with the latest technology to connect them with the team," said Michael Bucek, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for the Phoenix Coyotes, in a written statement.

"Txtstation has developed great concepts and graphics for our games," he said. "Our goals were to entertain fans, create text fan clubs for alerts and send special promotions to cell phones."