Business Unit News
Fox Soccer Plus Announces Key Programming Acquisitions to Debut with March 1 Channel Launch
Additional FA Cup matches, England’s Coca-Cola Championship and Carling Cup, plus top-flight rugby to join previously announced marquee programming on Fox Soccer Plus
Los Angeles, CA (February 18, 2010) – Fox Soccer Plus, a
new premium network designed to complement Fox Soccer Channel and complete the
ultimate soccer fan experience, has acquired the broadcast rights to several key
soccer and rugby competitions in advance of its March 1, 2010 launch. These
rights in combination with the previously announced exclusive offerings from the
Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League and Italy’s Serie A will provide
a robust package of nearly 600 exclusive events on Fox Soccer Plus
annually.
Fueling the passion of international sports fans across the U.S., Fox Soccer
Plus will feature new exclusive matches from the FA Cup, England
Internationals and the prestigious Carling Cup plus action from the Coca-Cola
Championship – the second-highest division in England’s football leagues. In
addition, Fox Soccer Plus will showcase a selection of live and
exclusive England Men’s National Team matches annually.
Rugby supporters will be well-served on Fox Soccer Plus by an
impressive line-up of matches from England’s Guinness Premiership, the European
Heineken Cup and Magners League. Additional exciting rugby competitions
exclusive to Fox Soccer Plus will be announced at a later time.
“With these programming acquisitions, Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus
become the definitive destinations for the world’s most popular sports,” said
David Nathanson, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Fox Soccer
Channel. “Fox Soccer Plus presents us with a unique opportunity to
expand on Fox Soccer Channel’s core mission, providing U.S. viewers with the
best sports competitions worldwide and adds rugby to our impressive lineup of
soccer offerings.”
The anticipated number of live and premiere match telecasts per season for the
aforementioned leagues and tournaments are as follows:
Soccer
Barclays Premier League (Aug.-May) – 130
Carling Cup (Aug.-Feb.) – 15
Coca-Cola Championship (Aug.-May) – 60
England Men’s National Team (Year-round) – 3 Senior Team, 3 Under-21 Team
FA Cup (Nov.-May) – 24
Serie A (Aug.-May) – 108
UEFA Champions League (Aug.-May) – 70
Rugby
Guinness Premiership (Sept.-May) – 35
Heineken Cup (Oct.-May) – 40
Magners League (Sept.-May) – 80
Fox Soccer Plus will be offered to video providers across the country
in high-definition and be available to viewers as a premium service.
About Fox Soccer Plus
Fox Soccer Plus is a premium network intended to complement Fox Soccer
Channel by providing the best international sports experience in
high-definition. Live, exclusive soccer matches from the best leagues in the
world include England’s Barclays Premier League, the UEFA Champions League,
England’s FA Cup, Coca-Cola Championship, Carling Cup and England Men’s National
Team as well as Italy’s Serie A. Fox Soccer Plus will also offer the
true global sports connoisseur premium rugby from the Magners League, the
Guinness Premiership and the Heineken Cup among other competitions. For more
information, visit foxsoccerplus.com.
Contact:
Chelsea
Hettrick, mPRm Public Relations, 323.933.3399 ext.4261,
chettrick@mprm.com
Ben Alkaly, Fox Soccer Channel, 310.444.8642,
ben.alkaly@fox.com