LEESBURG, VA — Omnilert, LLC, maker of RainedOut, the first text message service for sports leagues and clubs, said in a news release that over 1000 sports leagues across the country are now using RainedOut to broadcast real-time messages to players, coaches, parents, referees, spectators and others.
Ben Hull, Recreation Supervisor of Athletics at Isle of Palms Recreation Department in South Carolina, said, “RainedOut.com has made it much easier to communicate to others about cancellations. It helps make my job easier.”
RainedOut, as the name implies, was created in 2004 to notify parents of games cancelled due to bad weather. Use of the service spread to include alerts for field changes, schedule changes, tournamentupdates, call for volunteers, parking directions, registration reminders, and more.
RainedOut is accessible from smartphones, so alerts can be initiated on the go or from the field the moment a decision is made. Alerts can be sent to an entire league, sport or division, or to smaller groups such as a single team or age group.
Loudoun Soccer in Leesburg, VA, was the first league to use the service in 2004. Margie Brien, the Office Manager at Loudoun Soccer, said, “RainedOut.com has allowed Loudoun Soccer to easily communicate with its over 7,000 players and their parents about the status of fields. They provide notices in a timely manner to allow coaches, players and parents to make practice and game decisions.”
Eric J. Westendorf, Public Relations Director at Lernerville Speedway in Pa., said, “On behalf of Lernerville Speedway and the entire World Racing Group organization, we love the RainedOut Web site and service. It saves our office literally hundreds, if not thousands of phone calls on questionable race nights. The fans have also expressed their appreciation of the service en
masse. It has been a very successful program for us.”
RainedOut is a Web-based service, so there is no traditional software to install, no hardware to buy and no additional phone lines needed. Registration is fast and easy. The service is free. Standard text messaging fees apply.
This web-based service enables non-technical people to administer and send custom or predefined messages instantly to the entire league for improved communication. It is used to cancel games, give directions, recruit volunteers, and much more.
Messages can initiate from a net-connected PC, from a conventional phone call, or from the field using a net-connected cell phone. Through one simple interface, RainedOut instantly and simultaneously broadcasts messages to subscribers’ mobile phones (via SMS text message) and e-mail accounts, and to the leagues’ own Web pages, RainedOut page, Facebook page, and Twitter account.
