ESPN STAR Sports acquires exclusive rights to FA Football Package

Sports broadcaster, ESPN STAR Sports, announced another major programming acquisition, successfully concluding an exclusive four-year agreement with England's governing body of football, The Football Association (FA). Including the English FA Cup, ESPN STAR Sports now has rights to telecast English Premier League (EPL), UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup, Spanish Primera Liga, making ESPN STAR Sports the most comprehensive soccer network in India.

The four-year FA package covers exclusive broadcast rights to all FA Cup matches, the FA Community Shield, all Senior and Under-21 England team home matches from seasons 2004/5 to 2007/8 including all friendly matches, World Cup and European Championship qualifiers.

Speaking on the development, RC Venkateish, managing director, ESPN Software India, said, "Besides acquiring the best soccer properties available in the world, we are also making special efforts to popularise the game and the international soccer properties in India. We have already hosted special screenings for hi-profile EPL matches, consumer contests, advertising and promotional campaigns and other innovations to increase the league's recognition. We have received great response on our 'What's your Gang?' marketing campaign specially created for the English Premier League."

The channels aims to cover the best of FA Cup matches, FA Community Shield and the England national games until 2008. The FA Cup is recognised as the oldest and most famous domestic knockout competition, which traditionally begins in November and culminates with the FA Cup final in May. The FA Community Shield is the English football season's high-profile curtain raiser, held a week prior to the kick off of the English Premier League season in August and played between the two major trophy-winning clubs from the previous season. In addition, the England national team will play a minimum of 23 games comprising five FIFA World Cup qualifiers in 2004-2005, six UEFA European Championship qualifiers in 2006-2007 and a minimum of 12 friendly matches during the term of ESS's broadcast agreement.

In all, ESS will deliver more than 300 hours of match coverage and related support programming including highlights, features and interstitials.