Hot on the heels of the FIFA World Cup success, DirecTV announced plans to deliver more soccer matches than ever before via its partnership with Fox Sports. Also, many will be in HD.
DirecTV launched Fox Soccer Channel HD this week (8/11). That’s in addition to Fox Soccer Plus matches in HD and GolTV HD, so soccer fans will be able to view an unprecedented number of matches in HD during the 2010-2011 season on the satellite TV service.
Noting the “ever increasing slate of games offered by its television partners,” DirecTV says it will also deliver exclusively to its customers more than 320 live matches, including up to 28 exclusive European matches a week from the world’s top competitions beginning this month.
DirecTV, Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Soccer Plus, Fox Sports Networks, and Fox Sports en Español/Fox Deportes will team to offer viewers every match from the UEFA Champions League beginning with the playoff round on August 17th and continuing through the final match in May. Spanish first division, “La Liga” coverage will kick off August 28th, with at least 114 exclusive live matches, or a minimum of three each round, only on DirecTV, in addition to those already broadcast by its partners GolTV and ESPN. UEFA Europa League coverage with broadcasting partner GolTV will start with the group stage on September 16th and continue through DirecTV’s exclusive 153-match coverage of the final on May 18, 2011.
Fans will be able to watch up to eight games from UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League simultaneously on DirecTV’s exclusive Soccer Mix Channel, in both HD and standard-definition.
“As a leading distributor of 2010 FIFA World Cup coverage that included 25 games in 3D, we wanted to make sure soccer fans continued to have a fantastic viewing experience by offering the most comprehensive HD coverage of the major international league competitions,” said Derek Chang, executive vice president, Content Strategy and Development for DirecTV. “With the growing popularity of soccer in the U.S., and increasing demand for more soccer programming, DirecTV, with its broadcast partners, including Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Soccer Plus, Fox Sports en Español/Fox Deportes, FSN, GolTV and ESPN, are in a great position to take advantage of this opportunity to engage these passionate fans,” he added.
