Casting a wider net

Professional leagues and teams have found a new way of getting to their technologically savvy fans' hearts: through their hard drives.

The Blackhawks, for example, have kicked off "HawkCast," the team's official podcast. For those of you who still think the Internet is a passing fad, podcasts are audio programs you can download to your iPod or MP3 device and listen to on the go. The best thing about podcasts is you can set your computer's media player (iTunes, for example) to receive new podcasts whenever they are detected. Set it up once, then access it whenever you like.

"HawkCast" allows subscribers (don't worry, it's free) to log on to the team's website and sync up with exclusive content--everything from player interviews to postgame press conferences and highlights.

Other sports already are in on the act. Major League Baseball has tons of podcasting options available, including a daily version that features commentary on the day's games and one that focuses on fantasy baseball. And last season, the NBA premiered a podcast called "Live at The Finals with Ahmad Rashad."

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning