Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Sports en Español announced a joint renewal of exclusive U.S. broadcast rights to Italy’s professional soccer league Serie A for the 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 seasons. The rights were renewed through MP & Silva, an international sports agency that owns and distributes Italian Serie A media rights worldwide.
Featuring some of the world’s greatest players – including 75 who are participating in the 2010 FIFA World Cup – Serie A matches are showcased prominently across all three Fox networks. Fox Soccer Channel’s extensive English language coverage includes up to three live matches each weekend in high definition – one on Saturdays and two on Sundays – as well as midweek fixtures (when scheduled).
Meanwhile Fox Soccer Plus has one exclusive Saturday and one exclusive Sunday English language window per week, also in high definition. Fox Sports en Español features exclusive Spanish language broadcasts of a minimum of three live matches each week during the Serie A season, which runs from August through May.
“Serie A features some of the most competitive soccer in the world with many of Europe’s most successful clubs,” said David Nathanson, General Manager of Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus. “This renewal of our long standing partnership with Serie A represents our continued commitment to delivering the world’s greatest soccer competitions across our portfolio of networks year round.”
“In recent years we’ve seen a tremendous growth of interest for Italian soccer within United States,” said Carlo Pozzali, CEO of MP & Silva America. “We are so glad to continue our partnership with Fox, a leading media group capable of guaranteeing tremendous exposure for Serie A games through its English and Spanish language networks.”
Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus combined will air approximately 187 games in high definition per season. Fox Sports en Español also has access to 187 matches per season. All three networks also retain the rights to weekly 30-minute Serie A preview and review shows. In addition, a selection of live and on-demand Serie A matches will be streamed each week through Fox Soccer Channel’s broadband video service Foxsoccer.tv.
Serie A includes some of the best known soccer clubs in the game, including current UEFA Champions League title-holder Inter Milan and its arch-rival AC Milan, which has captured more international trophies than any team on Earth. Inter is the five-time defending Serie A champion, while Juventus has captured a record 27 Scudettos. Historically, Serie A has produced the highest number of European Cup finalists (26) and the most victories in the competition (12). The league began operating in its current format in 1929.
