Conference USA, which decided earlier this year to eliminate printed media guides, will partner with a Kansas firm to produce online, interactive guides for the 2009-10 season. Drive Digital Media will debut the 2009 Conference USA Football this month.

The guides will include video, social-networking opportunities, and access to current conference news, standings and scores. The online guides will be produced for football, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball. Drive Digital Media also will compile a year-end magazine, annual report, record book and special editions for football and basketball.

The move to online guides was prompted by a need to reduce costs and a desire to be more environmentally friendly, conference officials said.

Drive Digital Media President Matthew Barksdale predicted that the Conference USA products will “completely transform the way conferences and schools use media guides to communicate with their audiences.”

“These next generation products utilize video, social media tools and content management tools to allow two-way communication with the media and fans,” Barksdale said.