Match.com today announced the expansion of its innovative Online SpeedMatching service (www.OnlineSpeedMatching.com) to 50 cities across the United States. The first-of-its-kind, integrated online/telephone speed-dating service now enables singles in 50 U.S. cities to participate in online sessions where they meet and talk with a series of dates on the telephone, while simultaneously viewing photos and profile information, all from the comfort of their home.
Since January 2004, approximately 20,000 singles have participated in a Match.com Online SpeedMatching session. Sixty-five percent of the service's participants have made an Online SpeedMatching connection resulting in a mutual attraction, where both parties indicate they would like to talk to each other again.
Participants simply sign in online and dial the displayed phone number to connect. Online SpeedMatching determines the best potential matches from among all participants and introduces them to each other in private, four- minute conversations while displaying photos and profile information. After each date, the participants mark a scorecard and rate each other as a "Yes," "Maybe," or "No" for follow-up contact. Each Online SpeedMatching participant will generally meet between 4 and 6 dates per session.
"Match.com's Online SpeedMatching expansion to 50 U.S. cities represents our continued commitment to providing singles with technologies that make their search for that one special someone fun, convenient and ultimately effective," said Tim Sullivan, president of Match.com. Beginning in June Match.com will schedule Online SpeedMatching sessions based on mutual interests, like scuba diving, world travel and skiing.
A great intermediate step between making contacts via the Internet and live face-to-face meetings, Online SpeedMatching helps Match.com's singles quickly meet and interact with potential matches as they search for their one special someone.
Members can participate in the sessions for free, paying only when they find matches with whom they want to communicate. Match.com Subscribers pay an additional $14.95 per month, while nonsubscribers pay $24.95 per month, for unlimited contacts. A seven-day free trial is currently available for a limited time.
About Match.com
Operating more than 30 online dating sites, in 18 local languages, spanning six continents, Match.com is the world's leading online dating and personals property, according to the March 2004 global ranking by industry- leading independent measurement firm comScore Media Metrix. Match.com offers the industry's most advanced and comprehensive matching technology -- the exclusive Total Attraction Matchingâ„¢ system -- which incorporates powerful, scientifically-based personality profiling tools and the first and only physical attraction matching platform. Since its launch in 1995, Match.com has led the industry in providing a wide array of tools and resources for its 12 million members seeking long-term, committed relationships or marriage. Match.com provides wireless dating (www.matchmobile.com), Online SpeedMatching (www.OnlineSpeedMatching.com) and events opportunities for singles through its sites MatchLive.com and SpeedMatching.com, both operated by its affiliate, MatchLive, L.L.C. Based on resignation survey data the Company calculates that more than 200,000 Match.com members met the person they were seeking on the site in 2003 alone. Match.com is an operating business of IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI).
SOURCE: Match.com
CONTACT: Trish McDermott of Match.com, +1-925-254-2307,
Trish.McDermott@match.com
Web site: http://www.onlinespeedmatching.com/
Web site: http://www.match.com/