Free access to live commentary and timings via the internet is just one of the new features that TT fans will be able to enjoy with the re-launched Official Website of the Isle of Man TT.

Duke Marketing has retained the contract to manage the iomtt.com website and has brought a wealth of new and improved features to the site. The Official TT website is already attracting more than 1.9 million visits a year, and the annual figure is now expected to top 2 million in 2010.

One of the biggest changes to iomtt.com is that the popular TT Live! service will now be available to all internet users free, and without subscription.

Over the past three years, TT Live! has offered live sector timings and speeds from all sessions throughout the TT fortnight, as well as live commentary from Radio TT. A small subscription charge was necessary to cover the costs of the service.

For 2010, there will be no charge so online fans will be able to follow the action as it happens whether they are yards from the course, or thousands of miles away from the Isle of Man. Once again, people with iPhones will be able to follow the timings live and work is underway to extend this facility to mobile data services supported on other PDAs, including the Blackberry.

Another new website feature is the introduction of a section for young fans. The Kids’ Zone will allow youngsters to enjoy and learn about the TT through content chosen and designed by Island schoolchildren as part of a project between the Department of Tourism and Leisure and the Department of Education.

The iomtt.com site will now feature video and audio content, from classic archive sounds and pictures to the very latest footage, as well as detailed profiles of some of the biggest names in both the solo and sidecar classes.

As part of its efforts to increase the global audience, iomtt.com will also feature Official social networking sites for the TT, including a presence on Twitter and Facebook. The official Facebook group – which needed special permission from Facebook to use the title ‘official’ – attracted more than 5,500 members in the first few weeks.

In addition to new features, a fresh look and improved usability, iomtt.com continues to offer the latest TT news, a fascinating photo gallery, the incredibly detailed database, the official shop and the ever-popular forum, which currently boasts around 13,000 members.

Duke Managing Director Peter Duke said:

“We are delighted to retain the management contract for the official TT website following the recent competitive tendering process. As we approach the 2 million visitors per year milestone, it’s great to keep moving the site forward with new and improved features so it delivers more and more of what the modern TT fan requires - whether visiting the Island or not.” “And it’s really exciting that the new contract with the Department of Tourism and Leisure also enables us to offer free results and commentary to all internet users and free results data to millions of mobile phone and PDA users worldwide.” “I found following the races on my iPhone quite addictive last year and we hope that a lot more will ‘dial in’ this year - it adds a whole new dimension to the TT races!”

Hon Martyn Quayle, MHK, Minister for Tourism and Leisure, Isle of Man Government, commented:

“The website is a key part of our long term development strategy to grow the audience and appeal of the TT. Not only will the new site encourage greater global interest in the event but we also believe that the newly introduced children’s section will bring a new generation of fans onboard.”