MAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALL SIGNS FIVE YEAR CONTRACT
WITH QUESTEC
Company Launches
New "Umpire Information
System"
Deer Park, N.Y.,
Wednesday, February 14, 2001 -
QuesTec, Inc., (OTCBB Stock
Symbol: QSTI), has
signed a five year Agreement with
Major League Baseball to provide
a new version of their
state-of-the-art PitchTrax pitch
measurement technology in support
of MLB's previously announced
strike zone initiatives. As part
of this Agreement, MLB agreed to
pay QuesTec an undisclosed fee
for the development, now in the
final stages, of a customized
version of the Company's
measurement technology. QuesTec
has also been contracted to
install, operate, and maintain
the new "Umpire Information
System" (UIS) for the term
of the Agreement.
The new system
includes several key
modifications to the
Company’s commercial
PitchTrax product currently
licensed exclusively to the FOX
Channels Group as "in-game
enhancement" during live
television broadcasts of Major
League Baseball games. PitchTrax
appears as a sponsored feature
during FOX Sports Net
productions.
A prototype of the
UIS was unveiled during the 2000
Arizona Fall League to a large
group of Major League umpires and
MLB officials who were given free
access to the system and
QuesTec's development team.
QuesTec's new system was well
received and easily met the
stringent accuracy requirements
specified by the Office of the
Commissioner. Testing will resume
next month during Spring Training
in Arizona. Once testing is
complete, the Company will begin
installation of the UIS in
stadiums designated by MLB. The
commitment and the cooperation of
MLB and it’s umpires have
helped QuesTec to produce the
most accurate, reliable, and
objective measurement system
available for professional
sports.
"Major League
Baseball is excited about the
training potential of QuesTec's
new system," said Sandy
Alderson, Executive Vice
President of Baseball Operations
for Major League Baseball.
"We expect that this new
technology will further enhance
the capabilities of our Major
League umpires."
"I am very
encouraged," said Ralph
Nelson, MLB Vice President for
Umpiring. "We will now have
available the ideal tool to help
us maintain strike zone accuracy
and consistency. The introduction
of technology as part of our
training process will have a
substantive impact on proper
officiating of the game. QuesTec
technology goes far beyond pretty
pictures on TV, it is truly the
intersection of science and
baseball."
The UIS uses
QuesTec's proprietary measurement
technology. Quite different than
"video insertion"
technology that simply adds
graphics to the broadcast video,
QuesTec technology actually
measures information about
interesting events during the
game that would not be available
any other way. This technology is
so innovative it appeared in a
Scientific American article in
September of 2000. The ball
tracking component uses cameras
mounted in the stands off the
first and third base lines to
follow the ball as it leaves the
pitcher's hand until it crosses
the plate. Along the way,
multiple track points are
measured to precisely locate the
ball in space and time. This
information is then used to
measure the speed, placement, and
curvature of the pitch along its
entire path. The entire process
is fully automatic including
detection of the start of the
pitch, tracking of the ball,
location computations, and
identification of non-baseball
objects such as birds or wind
swept debris moving through the
field of view. No changes are
made to the ball, the field of
play, or any other aspect of the
game, to work with QuesTec
technology. The tracking
technology was originally
developed for the US military and
the company has adapted it to
sports applications.
"This is our
most ambitious undertaking to
date," said Edward J.
Plumacher, QuesTec founder.
"Major League Baseball
provided a very open environment,
encouraging vigorous dialogue
about the potential uses of our
technology and involving
representatives across the
baseball community as part of
this initiative. Their feedback,
encouragement, and commitment
continue to be vital elements
throughout this process. Our
agreement with MLB will serve as
a standard for all future sports
related technology contracts and
marks our clear transition into
the true mainstream of
professional sports. QuesTec's
development of innovative
technology applications for
broadcasting, webcasting,
interactive television, and now
officiating, clearly demonstrates
our technical leadership in the
emerging digital media
market."
Steven B.
Greenfield, Esq., QuesTec
Chairman of the Board, said of
the deal: "Gaining
acceptance from both MLB and the
umpires for the accuracy,
reliability and value of our
technology is like getting a Seal
of Approval. We are not aware of
any other measurement technology
that has been accepted in this
way by the governing body of a
major US sport. Both MLB
executives and the umpire
community were understandably
skeptical at first, but after
seeing our technology in
operation, everyone began to see
the quality of the information
and the many uses for it. These
men are dedicated professionals,
and once convinced, quickly
embraced the technology as a
source of objective feedback that
has never been available in the
past. We always hesitate when
someone suggests our technology
could be used for officiating,
but we believe MLB and the
umpires have gotten this just
right: with the UIS, we can
contribute to the quality of the
officiating process without
intruding into the game or
disrupting Baseball's traditions.
That's a pretty good place to
be!"
QuesTec is a
content-oriented company that
provides real-time measurement,
replay and analysis products for
sports, entertainment and digital
media. The company develops
real-time virtual replays and
eSports technology for mainstream
professional sports. QuesTec's
technology offers unique content
to the convergence of today's
emerging digital media.
"Safe
Harbor" Statement under the
Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. The
statements contained in this
release which are not historical
facts, including our outlook on
the future performance of our
core businesses and our growth
strategies, are forward-looking
statements that are subject to
risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to
differ materially from those set
forth in or implied by
forward-looking statements. These
risks and uncertainties include
the Company's entry into new
commercial markets, dependence on
existing markets and other risks
described in the Company's
Securities and Exchange
Commission filings.
###
Press releases and
other QuesTec information are
available on the QuesTec web
site: http://www.questec.com
For
more information about QuesTec, Inc., contact
Ron Klimkowski at (631) 243-1880 or email ikit@questec.com.
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