Friday, March 9, 2007

Broadcast Rights to the Italian Serie A

Fox Soccer Channel Acquires Exclusive, English-Language Broadcast Rights to the Italian Serie A Through 2010

America’s Preeminent Soccer Destination Becomes Exclusive Television Home to International Powerhouses AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan and AS Roma

Fox Soccer Channel today announced the acquisition of the exclusive, English-language broadcast rights to Italy’s world-renowned professional soccer league, Serie A. Beginning this August and running through the 2009/2010 season, Fox Soccer Channel’s in-depth coverage of Serie A will feature up to three live matches each weekend, plus a mid-week match when scheduled. Fox Soccer Channel will also introduce its first-ever, dedicated Serie A highlights show; recapping the weekend’s action, the half-hour program will air on Mondays. On-air commentators, and the complete telecast schedule, will be announced at a later date.

The rights were acquired from Media Partners & Silva, the international sports agency that owns and distributes the Italian Serie A media rights worldwide. As part of the agreement, Fox Soccer Channel will become the exclusive English-language television destination for Italian Serie A in the country.

“We are thrilled to be the only English-language network to bring to fans across the country the excitement, passion and glory of top-flight Italian soccer,” said David Sternberg, executive vice president and general manager of Fox Soccer Channel. “This new deal with the Italian Serie A, coupled with our renewed agreements with the English Premier League and Major League Soccer, is not only the perfect complement to our already strong offering of the most in-depth and comprehensive coverage of domestic and international soccer, but it also reaffirms Fox Soccer Channel’s position as the sport’s preeminent broadcaster in the U.S.”

While Fox Soccer Channel has offered coverage of a limited selection of Serie A matches during the past two years, starting this season, the network will telecast approximately 140 matches and more than 140 hours of additional live Serie A programming yearly, including coverage of Italian powerhouses AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and AS Roma. With the addition of complete season coverage of Serie A, Fox Soccer Channel will now offer more than 1,600 total live programming hours each year.

“We are delighted to expand our partnership with Fox Soccer Channel as we work together to extend the visibility of the Italian Serie A on America’s premier soccer destination,” said Riccardo Silva, president of Media Partners & Silva. “We strongly feel that this new partnership will increase the popularity of the Italian game in the U.S., as well as enhance Fox Soccer Channel’s offering of world-class soccer.”

About Fox Soccer Channel

Fox Soccer Channel offers the most comprehensive coverage of world-class soccer available in the United States, including Major League Soccer, the Barclays English Premier League, Argentine First Division and Italian Serie A; as well as global tournaments such as the UEFA Cup, UEFA Women’s Championship, English FA Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, CONCACAF Champions’ Cup and FA Community Shield. The Official Broadcast Partner of the United States Youth Soccer Association, Fox Soccer Channel also televises United Soccer League and NCAA Division I college soccer matches. The channel reaches more than 29 million cable and satellite households in the U.S. and Caribbean.

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