EVENT DISPLAY SYSTEM AND METHOD

1 . A system for displaying information comprising:

an information control system configured to receive item data and event identification data associated with the item data, to format the item data and the event identification data, and to provide the item data and the event identification data to an event display;

a display control system configured to receive auction data for an item associated with the item data and to initiate an auction after a start of an event associated with the event identification data by generating a notification on the event display; and

an item registration system configured to read unique item identification data from the item and to store the unique item identification data with time of event data.

2 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a telephone information interface system configured to provide event status data in response to one or more prompts.

3 . The system of claim 1 further comprising an alternate information interface system configured to provide event status data in response to one or more of the group comprising email messages, instant messages, web browser prompts, and video prompts.

4 . The system of claim 1 further comprising an item information tracking system configured to update the item data in response to data entered by a user in response to event status data.

5 . The system of claim 1 further comprising an authentication system interface providing item authentication update data in response to data entered by a user in response to event status data.

6 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a media interface system formatting the item data and the event identification data for each of a plurality of different pre-existing event displays.

7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the display control system further comprises a contact identification system receiving contact data from a predetermined source and providing the contact data to the event display.

8 . The system of claim 7 wherein the display control system further comprises an item identification system configured to receive the contact identification system, to retrieve item identification data from a predetermined source and to provide the item identification data to the display control system.

9 . A method for displaying information comprising:

reading tag data from a unique identification tag of an item;

associating the tag data with an event and an event time in a database;

changing a status of the item to checked-out;

starting an auction for the item after a start of the event;

completing the auction for the item prior to a completion of the event;

reading the tag data from the unique identification tag of the item after completion of the event;

changing a status of the item to checked-in; and

providing the item to a user at the event.

10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:

selecting a display mechanism of an event display;

formatting item data associated with the item for display using the display mechanism of the event display;

transmitting the formatted item data to the display mechanism;

receiving a request from an observer at the event for event-related data;

retrieving the requested event-related data from a data source;

formatting the requested event-related data for transmission to the user; and

transmitting the requested event-related data of specific interest to the user.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein selecting the display mechanism of the event display, formatting the item data for display using the display mechanism of the event display and transmitting the formatted item data to the display mechanism comprises:

selecting a plurality of different display mechanisms of a plurality of different event displays;

formatting the item data for display using each of the plurality of different display mechanisms of the plurality of different event displays; and

transmitting the formatted item data to each of the plurality of different display mechanisms.

12 . The method of claim 10 wherein transmitting the formatted item data to the display mechanism comprises transmitting the formatted item data to a banner display on a scoreboard.

13 . The method of claim 10 wherein transmitting the formatted item data to the display mechanism comprises transmitting the formatted item data to a banner display on a television screen.

14 . The method of claim 10 wherein receiving a request from an observer for the event-related data comprises receiving a response to a prompt.

15 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving response data from the user in response to the requested event-related data; and

updating a database with the response data.

16 . In a system for displaying information having an information control system configured to receive item data and event identification data associated with the item data, to format the item data and the event identification data, and to provide the item data and the event identification data to an event display, a display control system configured to receive auction data for an item associated with the item data and to initiate an auction after a start of an event associated with the event identification data by generating a notification on the event display, an item registration system configured to read unique item identification data from the item and to store the unique item identification data with time of event data, a telephone information interface system configured to provide event status data in response to one or more prompts, an alternate information interface system configured to provide event status data in response to one or more of the group comprising email messages, instant messages, web browser prompts, and video prompts, an item information tracking system configured to update the item data in response to data entered by a user in response to event status data, an authentication system interface providing item authentication update data in response to data entered by a user in response to event status data, a media interface system formatting the item data and the event identification data for each of a plurality of different pre-existing event displays, a contact identification system receiving contact data from a predetermined source and providing the contact data to the event display, and an item identification system configured to receive the contact identification system, to retrieve item identification data from a predetermined source and to provide the item identification data to the display control system, a method comprising:

reading tag data from a unique identification tag of an item;

associating the tag data with an event and an event time in a database;

changing a status of the item to checked-out;

starting an auction for the item after a start of the event;

completing the auction for the item prior to a completion of the event;

reading the tag data from the unique identification tag of the item after completion of the event;

changing a status of the item to checked-in;

providing the item to a user at the event;

selecting a display mechanism of an event display;

formatting item data associated with the item for display using the display mechanism of the event display;

transmitting the formatted item data to the display mechanism;

receiving a request from an observer at the event for event-related data;

retrieving the requested event-related data from a data source;

formatting the requested event-related data for transmission to the user;

transmitting the requested event-related data of specific interest to the user;

receiving response data from the user in response to the requested event-related data;

updating a database with the response data;

wherein selecting the display mechanism of the event display, formatting the item data for display using the display mechanism of the event display and transmitting the formatted item data to the display mechanism comprises:

selecting a plurality of different display mechanisms of a plurality of different event displays;

formatting the item data for display using each of the plurality of different display mechanisms of the plurality of different event displays; and

transmitting the formatted item data to each of the plurality of different display mechanisms;

wherein transmitting the formatted item data to the display mechanism comprises transmitting the formatted item data to a banner display on a scoreboard;

wherein transmitting the formatted item data to the display mechanism comprises transmitting the formatted item data to a banner display on a television screen; and

wherein receiving a request from an observer for the event-related data comprises receiving a response to a prompt.