New Era Launches RivalsLive.com And Introduces Fans To The Meaning Of #AtomicWedgie

BUFFALO, N.Y., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- New Era, the official on-field cap for Major League Baseball (MLB), today unveiled the launch of RivalsLive.com, the newest destination for hardcore and casual fans alike to demonstrate their team pride and celebrate one of the most heated aspects of baseball – the rivalry. A brand-new live online show, driven by the tweets and hashtag voting of viewers, will be hosted daily on the site. This marks the very first time that an audience will affect the direction of a live show in real-time via Twitter hashtag voting. Premiering during the Division Playoff Series on Sunday October 7^th, the online broadcast will air at 2:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. CT every day for five days with the final show airing on Thursday October 11^th.

To star in the daily "Rivals Live" online show, New Era has enlisted the support of comedic duo Matt Lusk and Kurt Ela, two die-hard baseball fans, who will represent the nation's favorite rival teams during the MLB playoffs. Through the use of Twitter hashtags, fan sentiment will be directly transferred to the pair who will duke it out on behalf of proud fans everywhere. Viewers will use predetermined hashtags to vote for challenges and to specify which of the rivals will have to do each challenge. Whether a host will receive an #AtomicWedgie or have to become a #ManOLantern, viewers will have the opportunity to select from a variety of hilarious pranks and stunts as the hosts battle it out for ultimate bragging rights. RivalsLive.com will track and display hashtag votes in real-time as they dictate the interactions between Matt and Kurt throughout the show.

The audience of "Rivals Live" will not only use social media to affect what goes on between Matt and Kurt in real-time, but can also communicate with the hosts through a live Twitter chat that will take place during the show. By using hashtag #RivalsLive, RivalsLive.com provides another outlet for expression and collaboration within New Era's social media community.

"We are excited to launch RivalsLive.com during the most heated time of the MLB Season," said Brian Wheeler, Senior Manager Interactive, New Era. "As social media continues to connect millions of people around the world, we wanted to take those connections one step further and provide fans an online setting to display their team pride and engage with the New Era brand like never before."

The Rivals Live campaign supports New Era's MLB Authentic Collection (MLB AC) caps, the same as those worn on the field. To catch all of the action, please visit www.RivalsLive.com.

About New Era

New Era is an international lifestyle brand with an authentic sports heritage that dates back over 90 years. Best known for being the official on-field cap for Major League Baseball, New Era is the brand of choice not only for its headwear collection, but also for its accessories and apparel lines for men, women and youth. The brand is worn as a symbol of self-expression by athletes, artists and some of the most interesting people around the globe. New Era encourages people to "FLY YOUR OWN FLAG™" - to truly express their personal style and individuality through its products. The Company is headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y. and operates facilities in Canada, Europe, Brazil, Japan and Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.neweracap.com. 

SOURCE New Era