Sports Technology & Communications News from Around the World

Blabbelon, a free, push-to-talk, private VoIP service, now enables fantasy league players, who are spread geographically, to have live voice chats.

Many Web sites such as ESPN (News - Alert) and Yahoo host fantasy sports leagues with live, up to the minute statistics and online drafts, allowing players from anywhere in the world to come together and form a league.

However, the ability to unite people together utilizing technology has eliminated some of that live, in-person experience that made fantasy sports so popular. Blabbelon has made it happen by offering voice chat feature to fantasy league players.

In a press release, Ed Ikeguchi, CEO of Blabbelon, said, “Online fantasy drafts have always been missing the friendly camaraderie that you get with live drafts. Blabbelon lets fantasy leagues interact naturally – by voice. It’s really like your friends are in the room with you.”

An avid fantasy sports player, Jim Crook, said in the release, “Fantasy leagues are as much about socializing with friends as they are the players and the games. While it’s always great to win or score the ultimate fantasy team, the opportunity to trash talk with your fellow competitors is what the leagues are really about.”

According to Blabbelon, it’s a free, high-quality voice chat that has the users up and running with just one click. When a user enters a chat or “Blab,” other participants can be invited to join. In less time the members of the league can draft players, make critical trades – and do some trash talking.

Because Blabbelon runs through a Web browser, there is no software downloads or subscriptions.

Leveraging Skype’s (News - Alert) SILK codec, the Blabbelon multi-platform service is able to deliver wideband audio quality, said officials with New York City-based VoIP service company.