A joint announcement from ScreamingMedia Inc. and AP Digital describes a plan for adoption and implementation of the XML-based SportsML format for Internet and wireless distribution of AP MegaSports news feeds using ScreamingMedia's conversion technology. AP MegaSports in XML "will be delivered to Web environments, wireless applications and other interactive platforms, to provide customers with significantly faster implementation, better customization capabilities, and enhanced functionality. SportsML uses the Extensible Markup Language (XML), to create flexible packaging of sports content. Features of AP MegaSports that SportsML will facilitate integration of include sport-specific scrolling headlines, linked content, in-progress updates, play-by-play, and more. The service will be rolled out over the next three months and will include headlines, stories, scores, stats, sounds and photos from all major U.S. and many world professional sports leagues, as well as top amateur and collegiate competitions. The AP MegaSports package provides sites and services with stories, scores, stats, sounds and photos 24 hours a day." Developed by the International Press Telecommunications Council, SportsML is "an emerging open global standard for the interchange of sports data; markup languages applied to news feeds allow for easy packaging of text stories, audio, video, photos and other multimedia content."

AP MegaSports XML Solution: "The AP MegaSports XML Solution lets you deploy world-respected, up-to-the-minute sports news, photos, scores, schedules, standings, and statistics to end users through any digital medium, wired or wireless. Matching all-encompassing sports content from The Associated Press with open-standard XML technology, our solution offers peerless comprehensiveness, ease of implementation and reliability. The AP MegaSports XML solution uses SportsML which aims to be the global XML standard for the interchange of sports data. Designed to be as easy to understand and implement as possible, SportsML allows for the exchange of sports data for a wide variety of competitions..."

About AP MegaSports (adapted from the website):

"AP MegaSports provides multimedia sports service for use on your site or service: breaking sports news, in-depth features, expanded statistics, in-progress updates, single-sport headlines, and award-winning photos and audio - available in SportsML format. 'Give your online audience reliable results as they happen. Take them from the first play to the last with in-progress updates direct from your site or service. Create a streaming headlines ticker linked to stories updated 24 hours a day. AP MegaSports provides defining moments and play-by-play coverage in Sports Markup Language.' The AP's staff brings in-depth coverage of all major professional leagues, college athletics and international sports. Our experienced writers and photographers work in 240 bureaus worldwide to deliver unmatched coverage of special events from the Olympics to the World Series to the World Cup. MegaSports offers sport-specific, in-progress news and information. Game recaps are linked to photos and audio, giving the audience an enhanced multimedia experience...

AP MegaSports includes: " (1) MegaHeadlines: The top 10 headlines updated every half-hour, and sport-specific packages for all major professional leagues, college athletics and international events such as World Cup soccer and the Olympics. (2) MegaStories: Comprehensive, in-depth reporting that includes breaking stories, pre- and post-game event coverage, exclusive features and columns. (3) MegaScores: In-progress scores for baseball, football, basketball, soccer, golf, tennis and other sports. (4) MegaStats: Daily statistics including standings, schedules, box scores, line scores, team and individual breakdowns, rosters and more. (5) MegaSounds: Sound bites that capture interviews in the locker room or on the field after the game. (6) MegaPhotos: Key shots capturing the excitement of events all over the world from the only news agency with a photo desk devoted exclusively to sports. (7) MegaSports International: Coverage of 40 different sports, from auto racing to sumo wrestling, from over 240 bureaus worldwide."

"All MegaSports news is available through Internet, satellite or leased line delivery. As of Spring 2002 AP MegaSports will use SportsML format, the markup language of choice that offers options for advanced sports news presentation online."