DALLAS - B2 Networks, the “Official Broadband Broadcast Provider of the ECHL,” on Wednesday announced that it has launched the B2 Triangulation Interactive Player which is being used for the first time during the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The technological breakthrough lets fans view games through the latest quality enhancements developed by B2 Networks which has allowed ECHL fans to watch their teams online for the past five seasons.

The exclusive technology allows fans to view games with most current video display systems while also providing real-time scoring and game updates. The B2 Triangulation Interactive Player embeds the play-by-play audio of the selected team into the programming.

Technologists spent years researching and developing the state-of-the-art technology that provides fans with a more complete and interactive viewing experience while being able to view games with the latest video quality enhancements.

“The launching of the new B2 Triangulation Interactive Player is a great moment for our company as we continue to deliver a superior viewing experience to sports fans around the world,” said Greg P. Bell, B2 Networks Chairman and CEO. “The Triangulation Interactive Player is the first of several exciting technological developments that B2 will be announcing in the upcoming months.”

In order to utilize the new technology fans will need Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or higher, a current version of Microsoft Windows Media Player 11 and a high-speed internet connection. Individual Kelly Cup Playoff games can be purchased for $7.

In addition to broadcasting ECHL games the past five seasons, B2 Networks has also broadcast the last two All-Star Games as well as every game of the conference finals and the Kelly Cup Finals each of the past four years. The first hockey game broadcast by B2 Networks was the Las Vegas Wranglers in February 2004 and the first hockey championship it carried was the 2004 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

B2 Networks

B2 Networks is a premier provider of reliable and secure international television and pay-per-view broadcasting systems. B2's worldwide network of arenas, stadiums, local venues and data centers are currently in use to distribute live sports and events to personal computers, television screens, mobile devices and commercial venues around the world. Working with organizations such as the AHL, ECHL, NLL, IHL, USHL, NAHL, Arena Football Leagues and selected NCAA and NAIA conferences and member institutions, B2 Networks has established itself as a leader in innovative global direct to home, mobile and television broadcasting. For the B2 Networks' Programming Guide visit www.b2tv.com, or for information about B2 Networks, visit www.b2now.com.

ECHL

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2007-08, the ECHL is the Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League and the third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League.

ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league with 25 teams playing 900 games in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08.

The league officially changed its name to ECHL on May 19, 2003.

The ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 30 teams in the NHL in 2007-08, marking the 11th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.

There have been 355 former ECHL players who have gone on to play in the NHL after playing in the ECHL, including 99 in the last three seasons. There have been 210 former ECHL players who have played their first game in the NHL in the past seven seasons.

There are 15 coaches in the NHL who have ECHL experience including former Wheeling coach Peter Laviolette, who is head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, and former Mississippi coach Bruce Boudreau, who is head coach of the Washington Capitals.

The ECHL is represented for the seventh consecutive year on the National Hockey League championship team in 2007 with Anaheim assistant coach Dave Farrish, players Francois Beauchemin and George Parros and broadcasters John Ahlers and Steve Carroll.

The ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 29 teams in the American Hockey League in 2007-08 and for the past 18 years there has been an ECHL player on the Calder Cup champion.

In each of the last two seasons there have been more than 225 players who have played in both the ECHL and the AHL and there were over 800 call-ups involving more than 500 players. In the last five seasons the ECHL has had more call-ups to the AHL than all other professional leagues combined with over 2,000 call-ups involving more than 1,000 players since 2002-03.

Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.