With a potentially broad and diverse readership, soccer coverage provides an interesting challenge to Web site designers.
Participants in the challenge were provided with a scenario and asked to complete a proposal, making reference to practical technologies, site structure and content publishing.
In the scenario, a hypothetical "major international media group" is looking to launch a brand new site for soccer fans. In an attempt to capture a global audience, the group insists the site operate in no less than six languages (including Mandarin and Japanese).
With access to a plethora of different media sources, the group is interested in running archival footage from European, South American and Asian tournaments, as well as running live daily broadcasts of top games.
The Web site will also serve as an aggregation point for news feeds from all over the world - and require a content management system to enable information to be appropriately formatted and published.
It was also suggested that ticketing sales, community-building features and extra features designed to build and maintain an audience, would earn bonus points.
Here are some of the solutions put forward by Web developers who took up ZDNet Australia's Soccer Web site challenge:
Web Twentyone
Based on SQL 2000 technology, with fully automated publishing and translation functionality built into the site, Brisbane-based Web designers, Twentyone, have come up with a comprehensive site, even offering a solution to traffic-building.
Webcom; MyWorld Cup
Offering a pragmatic solution, Sydney-based Webcom focuses on what soccer fans want on the Web, and how to integrate a sport-crazy community into the project.
Netsync: Soccer Crazy Media Group
Clean, template-driven and based on a .Net framework, Sydney-based Netsync offer a solution which can be tailored to suit an international audience of capricious fans.
Soccer fanatic or not, you will not be able to avoid 2002 FIFA World Cup fever. Keep up with the latest IT coverage by regularly visiting ZDNet Australia's Special Report. Comprehensive coverage provides you with all the information you need about World Cup viruses, Web sites and Net overloads: World Cup 2002 Online
