• Ad Age, Friday, February 8, 2008 12:15 PM

Nintendo's winter marketing plan includes a slate of baseball, golf and monster-truck sponsorships and events that tie in the Wii and DS with real-life sporting events.

Besides conducting hands-on demonstrations and interactive play at PGA tournaments and Major League Baseball training camps, the company is also building on its "Nintendo Fan Network," which launched at the Seattle Mariners' Safeco Field. The system allows fans with DS devices to download software that allows them to get stats and player info, watch extra videos, order food and drinks and interact with each other during games.

Other stadiums have approached Nintendo about the network, says Marc Franklin, Nintendo of America's director-public relations, but it will likely remain exclusive to the Seattle stadium for 2008. But Frankln promises "additional surprises" for Nintendo Fan Network users there. IDC analyst Billy Pidgeon says moving the DS into stadiums and arenas helps Nintendo "integrate into users' lives."

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