Empoprise-NTN High Noon - Eskimo Inn (Inuvik, NT)

When I started the Empoprise-NTN High Noon series, I concentrated on NTN Buzztime sites at which I had played, and which still had active NTN/Buzztime gaming. As time moved on, I branched out to sites that I might visit in the future, or sites that I had heard about.

This week I thought I'd take a different tack, and try to find a site in a relatively remote place such as Yukon.

As of right now, there are no NTN/Buzztime sites in Yukon.

But there are three in the Northwest Territories. The only one that had received a review was the Eskimo Inn.

http://players.buzztime.com/bt_site.php?sid=21553

And the review clearly establishes the Eskimo Inn as the best NTN Buzztime site in Inuvik. Well, it's the only site in Inuvik.

In case you want to play there, here's a map:


View Larger Map

Boston in Jacksonville?

Just to confuse you:

Boston's Restaurant and Sports Bar opened a Jacksonville location...at 13070 City Station Drive, at the River City Marketplace near the airport. Offering a line of gourmet pizzas and pasta, Boston's has a sports bar outfitted with flat-screen TVs and memorabilia from local teams. According to a press release from the eatery, the bar also features NTN Buzztime, the Wii and PlayStation3 with Madden '08.

I didn't know that they placed Playstations in bars. Now I know.

Empoprise-NTN High Noon - Newport Beach Brewing Company (Newport Beach, CA)

I'm in Costa Mesa this week (actually, by the time you read this, I'll probably be gone), so I was wondering where the closest trivia action would be. This place filled the bill.

http://players.buzztime.com/bt_site.php?sid=9694

From Barry to Terry

Announced on October 22:

NTN Buzztime, Inc. Announces Appointment of Terry A. Bateman to Board of Directors

Wednesday, 22 October 2008

NTN Buzztime, Inc. today announced that senior entertainment and sports executive Terry A. Bateman has been appointed to the Company's Board of Directors. Mr. Bateman replaces Barry Bergsman, who announced his retirement from the Board after having served as a Director since August 1998.

Terry Bateman has nearly 30 years executive experience in developing, growing, managing and selling businesses. As a personal investor in Red Zone Capital from 2006 to the present, Mr. Bateman served as CEO of Dick Clark Productions from June 2007 to February 2008. In 2006, as Chief Marketing Officer of the Washington Redskins, he led the team to a record 2006 year in terms of revenues.

As President and CEO of Barton Cotton between 1998 and 2006, Mr. Bateman grew that company's largest division over 500%. He was President of Snyder Communications' Marketing Services Division between 1994 and 1997, managing more than 25 publishing and marketing programs of Snyder's most profitable division. Mr. Bateman was Executive Vice President, Vice President and Director of Whittle Communications between 1981 and 1994, having begun his career in marketing with The Gillette Company between 1979 and 1981. Mr. Bateman holds a B.S. in Economics from the University of Tennessee.

His board memberships have included Dick Clark Productions, Johnny Rockets and Red Zebra Broadcasting.

"We are very pleased to gain the experience and perspective that Terry Bateman brings to our company's Board of Directors," commented NTN Buzztime's Chairman and interim CEO, Michael Fleming. "Terry has a unique combination of successful Board-level, C-level, entrepreneurial and managerial expertise. He will provide invaluable support to solidifying Buzztime's preeminent position in out-of-home interactive entertainment and our initiative to leverage our network as a platform for uniquely compelling and cost-effective advertising solutions. As we welcome Terry, we also offer Barry Bergsman heartfelt thanks for his long and distinguished service on the NTN Buzztime Board."

Mr. Bateman commented, "My personal formula for success has always been to work hard while also enjoying what I am doing. Serving on the Board of Directors of NTN Buzztime, with its unparalleled position and potential in today's interactive entertainment and advertising environment, provides a tremendous opportunity for me to apply that formula in new ways."

Mr. Bergsman stated, "It is the right time to leave the Board facilitating the introduction of Mr. Bateman's fresh thinking and background, both appropriate to the current strategy of the Company. It has been a pleasure working with the Board and Company staff. I wish them great success."

About NTN Buzztime, Inc.

NTN Buzztime, Inc., a leader in multi-point social interactive entertainment for more than 20 years, is based in Carlsbad, CA. Buzztime is distributed in-home and out-of-home across broadband platforms including online, cable TV, satellite TV, and in approximately 3,750 restaurants, sports bars and pubs throughout North America. Buzztime entertainment is also available on electronic games and in books. For more information, please visit http://www.buzztime.com/.

Buzztime is a proud member of the OVAB | Out-of-home Video Advertising Bureau.

Buzztime is a registered trademark of Buzztime Entertainment, Inc. and Playmaker is a registered trademark of NTN Buzztime, Inc.

Forward-looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements which reflect management's current views of future events and operations. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include corporate governance matters, the risk of changing economic conditions, failure of product demand or market acceptance of both existing and new products and services and the impact of competitive products and pricing. Please see NTN Buzztime, Inc.'s recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for information about these and other risks that may affect the Company. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based on information available to us on the date hereof. These statements speak only as of the date hereof, and NTN Buzztime, Inc. does not undertake to publicly update or revise any of its forward-looking statements, even if experience or future changes show that the indicated results or events will not be realized.

Source: NTN Buzztime, Inc.

Forbes had a profile of (the outgoing) Bergsman:

Barry Bergsman
Director
NTN Buzztime, Incorporated
Carlsbad , CA
Sector: SERVICES / Broadcasting - TV

71 Years Old
Barry Bergsman was appointed as a Director in August 1998 and was appointed Chairman of the Board in July 2006. Prior to his appointment as Chairman of the Board, Mr. Bergsman served as lead Director from August 2004 until July 2006. Mr. Bergsman serves on the Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board. Since 1965, he has served as president of Baron Enterprises, Inc., a privately owned consulting company established in 1965. From 1985 to 1998, Mr. Bergsman served as president of Intertel Communications, Inc., a company focused on the use of the telephone and interactive technology for promotion, entertainment and information. Prior to 1985, Mr. Bergsman was engaged in television production and syndication and was an executive with CBS, a broadcast television network. Since May 1999, Mr. Bergsman has served as a director of Photogenesis, Inc., a privately held medical device and biotechnology company. NTN Buzztime, Inc. (the "Company") announced that effective May 29, 2008, Barry Bergsman has stepped down as Chairman but will continue to serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

You'll recall that Bergman's replacement as Chairman of the Board was Michael Fleming.

Empoprise-NTN High Noon - McGillacuddys (Portland, OR)

For this week's installment, I figured I'd go back to my undergraduate stomping grounds. NTN didn't exist back when I went to Reed College, but I was curious - what NTN/Buzztime locations can be found in southeast Portland?

The answer - none. There are plenty of NTN/Buzztime locations on the west side of the Willamette River, but nothing in the southeast area.

So, assuming that all of the bridges across the river were washed out, where would today's Reedie go to play trivia (assuming, of course, that they were in an age-friendly area of the establishment, or were of legal drinking age if no such area existed)?

That's how I ended up on NE Halsey St.

http://players.buzztime.com/bt_site.php?sid=9959

The Nielsens, in another context

Normally when we think of "the Nielsens," we think of television ratings. But Nielsen rates other stuff, as this NTN Buzztime press release indicates:

NTN Buzztime, Inc. (AMEX: NTN) , an out-of-home interactive entertainment company, has verified the reach of its audience on screens in bars and restaurants across the country. Advertisers looking at more effective ways to connect with consumers will find these in-depth results useful for a more targeted and effective advertising buy. Resulting from a study conducted by The Nielsen Company, Buzztime's brand and advertising impact directly connects with more than 10.7 million viewers and 1.14 million Buzztime players who interacted with Buzztime(R) games during a four-week time period in their local eating establishment.

The socially interactive nature of Buzztime is one of the key reasons for strong brand awareness when ads are seen around Buzztime's game content. Buzztime players customarily play in groups averaging 2.3 people. Because game play engages the entire group so does the associated advertising.

Buzztime audiences viewed/played for 45.8 minutes per session; while Buzztime PlayersPlus(R) members stayed engaged for an average of 62.8 minutes per visit. This significant amount of game play exposes Buzztime players to more advertising messages. PlayersPlus members are those registered with Buzztime's loyalty program where members amass points and prizes for frequent game play.

And, of course, the more minutes that people "stayed engaged," the more time that they'll potentially stay engaged with their bartender, waitress, or waiter.

Win-win-win.

Empoprise-NTN High Noon - Fitzpatrick's (Greenville, SC)

Why am I promoting this today? Because Stephanie promoted it a week ago. Well, actually she originally promoted Fitzgerald's, but close enough.

http://players.buzztime.com/bt_site.php?sid=32839

Airline trivia? It's been done.

While perusing the tubes, I ran across this suggestion at the site whynot.net:

The idea would be that NTN Trivia systems (used commonly in pubs and restaurants) be available in-flight, which you could play against others on your flight, or even perhaps collectively as a team (co-op) against other flights. Long Flights and high cost of travel is in need of better entertainment than the usual in-flight movie.

However, NTN Buzztime has been beaten to the punch. I took a Delta flight to Atlanta which included an online trivia game in which you competed against other passengers.

And I'm not the only person to play trivia on a Delta flight to Atlanta. See this Flickr photo.

Here's what Delta says:

Up for some friendly competition with your fellow passengers? Check out Delta’s interactive Trivia game for free.

It's interesting to note that in this case, the differences outweigh the similarities. NTN Buzztime's pitch to bar owners is that if you install trivia in the bar, patrons will drink more and stay longer. However, Delta passengers aren't affected by this, because they can't leave the flight. And the airlines enforce a drink maximum.

Empoprise-NTN High Noon - Kezar Pub (San Francisco, CA)

Here's the San Francisco NTN/Buzztime site that I didn't attend during Oracle OpenWorld.

http://players.buzztime.com/bt_site.php?sid=29258

Why not? Because the walking distance between 747 Howard St and 770 Stanyan St is 3.4 miles. And I'm not sure if the Haight is the place to go at night. (I was there once in the early 1980s, but that was during the day.)

I haven't talked about QB1. Perhaps I should.

Of NTN/Buzztime's various in-bar offerings, I've played the trivia games, and I played poker once. I have never played QB1. \

But frankrmineo has:

I don’t know if any of you have ever played “QB1” on the NTN Buzztime games that you can play at different bars. Anyways it is a great game that makes watching somewhat otherwise boring Monday Night or Sunday Night football games...interesting.

But QB1 isn't limited to the nightly games - it's offered for every game, including the Super Bowl and the Pro Bowl.

The Pro Bowl?!?

But frankrmineo's concern about buying too much at bars can be addressed - you can also play QB1 online for selected games.