Sorrent signs new CEO, Fox Sports license

Today at the CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment 2003 conference in Las Vegas, it was announced that Greg Ballard is the new CEO of Sorrent. In addition, he is now a board member of Sorrent, the wireless entertainment developer and publisher. It was also announced that Sorrent has extended its partnership with Fox Sports Interactive Media, acquiring exclusive rights to the Fox Sports license in the Americas, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Previously, Greg Ballard was the CEO of 3Dfx, where the company's annual income grew from $4 million to more than $400 million during his three-year tenure. Ballard was also COO and CFO of Digital Pictures, publisher of Corpse Killer and Quarterback Attack, and president of Capcom Software. His other stints as CEO include those at SONICblue (makers of ReplayTV and Rio digital music players), MyFamily.com, and Warner Custom Music. Ballard currently sits on the boards of THQ and Pinnacle Software, an Emmy Award-winning digital media software provider.

Said Ballard, "Sorrent has brought the drive and excitement of the gaming industry to a ubiquitous new entertainment platform--the mobile phone. With more than 450 million mobile phones in the world, the opportunity is tremendously exciting."

Sorrent offers a proprietary persistent character technology, dubbed "Mobile Persona," with which players can create and build a character that can be shared between various multiplayer games. Along with upgrades for titles already available, Sorrent intends to make available 10 games supporting Mobile Persona in 2004, along with a dozen Fox Sports-branded games.

Sorrent's titles are available in the US and internationally via carriers including ALLTEL, AT&T Wireless, Boost Mobile, Cingular, Nextel, Sprint, US Cellular, and Verizon Wireless.