Sprint's Innovative Applications and Technology Teams Enable the NFL(TM)
              to Perform On and Off the Playing Field

    NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The question, "What are the
success factors of Super Bowl XXXI?"  would probably produce a variety of
answers -- "a good rivalry between the competing teams," "excellent coaching,"
"an exciting half time show."  Another answer might be "communications
services."
    Communications is one of the most critical elements that makes the NFL's
game of the year a success.  During Super Bowl week, thousands of individuals
involved in this event have the need to keep in constant contact with each
other and the outside world -- via phone, fax, wireless communications, paging
and the Internet.
    Sprint, the official telecommunications provider to the NFL, provides the
technology platform to ensure successful communication between all individuals
involved in Super Bowl XXXI, as well as with the rest of the world.  That
translates into creating a telecommunications infrastructure including voice
and data products, Internet connection, wireless service, paging service,
teleconferencing, videoconferencing and fax service.
    "How we create a telecommunications infrastructure in New Orleans is
similar to how we would create a network for a small town," said Steve Reed,
Sprint's national manager of NFL business development, who works closely with
the NFL and its member clubs to determine their telecommunications needs for
Super Bowl XXXI as well as year-round.  "We install 20 miles of cable, 3,000
phone lines, 800 phones and 200 fax machines that are used by the NFL
Headquarters, the participating AFC and NFC teams, NFL Films, NFL Properties,
as well as the 3,000 media who arrive in New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl.
Our purpose is to enable all of these parties to stay in continuous contact
with each other, as well as with the rest of the world."

    Connecting the World to the Game
    Equipping all pertinent sites in New Orleans to be fully functional with
the right telecommunications services in time for the game has proved to be
one of Sprint's greatest challenges.  Although planning for the Super Bowl
began about 18 months ago, Sprint had approximately three weeks once its team
arrived in New Orleans on January 3 to install the entire system -- an intense
job orchestrated by 10 Sprint technical engineers.
    These engineers are part of Sprint's technology team in New Orleans that
consists of 50 on-site experts who will be supported by 200 other staff across
the country.  During Super Bowl week, the entire team is on call 24 hours a
day to ensure that all of the services operate smoothly.  Because the role of
telecommunications is so critical to the success of Super Bowl XXXI, Sprint
developed a detailed plan to handle any situation that may cause an
interruption in service.  One example is Sprint's special "ring architecture"
-- a continuous, bi-directional loop between all of the NFL offices that can
reroute calls in the blink of an eye, ensuring uninterrupted service for all
parties attached to the network.
    "What Sprint is providing in the way of telecommunications services for
Super Bowl XXXI reflects our continued commitment to our business partnership
with the NFL and its member clubs," said Steve Reed.  "In fact, our
relationship with the NFL extends far beyond helping with the NFL to make the
Super Bowl a success.  Sprint and the NFL have a long-term partnership in
which Sprint provides innovative telecommunications services and consultative
expertise year-round, enabling the NFL and its member clubs to enhance their
business performance."
    Technology Transformation
    Upon Sprint's arrival in New Orleans, the company's initial task was to
transform the downtown Hyatt into the temporary NFL Headquarters, duplicating
the NFL's entire operations in New York.  Sprint played a key role in creating
40 "virtual" NFL offices at the Hyatt by installing wiring and service for a
total of 200 phone lines for incoming and outgoing calls and faxes.  Sprint
also wired the NFL's computer network to enable data transmission between the
league's temporary headquarters in New Orleans, its New York headquarters and
its 30 member clubs.
    Sprint technology consultants fully prepared for the needs of the AFC and
NFC championship teams participating in the Super Bowl by extensively
interviewing the final four teams prior to the AFC and NFC Championship games
to determine each team's communications needs -- everything from fax modems to
Sprint's frame relay (data transmission) capabilities.  Before the New England
Patriots and Green Bay Packers arrived for the Super Bowl, they were already
fully equipped with the technology needed to conduct their business from New
Orleans and connect them with their fans and the media.
    Also located at the Hyatt is the Media Center, where 3,000 journalists
from around the world converge during Super Bowl week.  Sprint is responsible
for meeting all of the telecommunications needs of these individuals -- who
rely heavily on the latest technology to conduct their job -- including phone
service, wireless service, fax service, data transmission, paging, and
Internet access.  Members of Sprint's technology team will be located in the
Media Center to ensure seamless communications, and foreign journalists can
easily communicate with technology experts through translators who speak
Spanish, French and Japanese.
    At the Superdome, Sprint again provides the telecommunications services in
the press box that journalists need to file their stories on the game.  Next
to the press box is the NFL Control office, which acts as the nerve center of
the stadium during the Super Bowl.  NFL Control is occupied by the NFL's
top-ranking executives who rely on Sprint to connect them directly to the
playing field via "hot lines" -- phone lines that instantly connect both
parties without a number dial.

    Technology Linking the Fans
    Sprint is a co-sponsor of "Coca-Cola and Sprint Presents the NFL
Experience(TM)," a football-themed event at the Ernest N. Morial Convention
Center held Jan. 23-26.  Through its co-sponsorship, Sprint will link fans
with state-of-the-art technology of interest to consumers and business people
alike.  For instance, at the "Sprint Stadium" inside the NFL Experience -- a
football-arena-shaped attraction equipped with interactive technology
activities -- fans will have the opportunity to participate in one-on-one
interviews with players and coaches via Sprint's videoteleconferencing
technology on a Jumbotron screen.  Fans can also sample the Internet via
Sprint Internet Passport(SM).
    The NFL is also using Sprint technology to bring the Super Bowl to fans
via the Internet.  At the official Super Bowl XXXI Web site
(http://superbowl.com), football fans in New Orleans and around the globe can
experience the world's biggest one-day sporting event as never before through
an Internet simulcast of the game, carried over Sprint's all-digital, fiber-
optic network.  Superbowl.com will offer live Super Bowl play-by-play (in
French, Italian, German, Japanese and English), real-time statistics and
photos.  And, FOX commentators will respond to fan questions throughout game
day at superbowl.com.  Those who wish to tune in     to the Internet simulcast
can do so via Sprint's Internet Passport, a consumer Internet access service
available at Blockbuster stores or by calling 1-800-359-3900.
    "Providing the latest technology for Super Bowl XXXI is a tremendous
opportunity for Sprint," said Mike Goff, Sprint's director of corporate
sponsorships.  "Not only does it allow us to play an integral role in making
this event successful for the NFL, a highly-valued Sprint customer, but it
also allows us to demonstrate our capabilities as a telecommunications
provider to the world.  The telecommunications products seen at Super Bowl
XXXI, both behind-the-scenes and those seen publicly such as videoconferencing
and Internet access via Sprint Internet Passport, can be utilized by
businesses as well as consumers."

    Sprint's NFL Sponsorship
    Sprint announced its sponsorship of the NFL in May of 1996.  The three-
year alliance provides a highly-visible platform for Sprint to offer a wide
range of products and services -- local, long distance and wireless -- under
one Sprint brand.  In addition to being the official telecommunications
provider to the NFL, Sprint is a consultative business partner, offering the
expertise to enable the NFL and its member clubs to fully utilize Sprint's
telecommunications services.  Sprint's technology will also be essential to
events such as Pro Bowl and the NFL Draft.
    "We selected Sprint to be our official telecommunications provider because
of their capabilities to help the NFL be the leader in technology among sports
organizations," said Jim Steeg, the NFL's executive director of special
events.  "We're confident that Sprint will exceed our expectations for the
Super Bowl, and we look forward to a productive relationship with them
year-round."
    Sprint, is a global communications company -- at the forefront in
integrating long distance, local and wireless communications, and the world's
largest carrier of Internet traffic.  Sprint built and operates the United
States' only nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and is the leader in
advanced data communications services.  Sprint has $12.8 billion in annual
revenues and serves more than 15 million business and residential customers.

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