I know of a number of companies to make similar moves. This however, is the only one to get the football fans really excited though.

Sprint [NYSE: S] and the National Football League (NFL) today announced the completion of a groundbreaking deal that secures Sprint as the official wireless telecommunications service sponsor of the NFL, marking an historic arrangement that reaches beyond marquee branding and delivers first-ever, exclusive NFL content and original programming.

“No other sports marketing arrangement comes close to the fan benefits that we’ve achieved with the NFL. It represents a clear departure from the standard sports sponsorship, and delivers exclusively into the hands of Sprint customers and fans an entirely new and interactive experience,” said Tom Murphy, vice president of sponsorships at Sprint. “Beginning this NFL season, innovation takes on new meaning for fans who will be connected to the NFL in a way that’s uniquely their own.” Sprint and Nextel have a history of maximizing sponsorship relationships and the NFL allows an unparalleled content platform to leverage. [Read the rest]