August 23, 2012

To tweet this release: http://es.pn/NLdRCM

Six Year Multimedia Deal Includes FA Cup, England and England U-21 Teams, Annual Community Shield.

ESPN and The FA have reached a six-year multimedia agreement for rights in South America for the FA Cup, England’s men’s national team and men’s U-21 team matches, and the annual FA Community Shield match. The deal includes rights across television, internet, broadband and mobile.  The 2012-2013 season starts Saturday, November 3.

Starting in November, ESPN will cover up to 59 FA Cup matches per season – including exclusive coverage of the FA Cup Final. Coverage each season will include matches from the First Round Proper through the Sixth Round Proper, replay matches from each round, the Semi-Finals and the FA Cup Final – one of the top global football events each year. Matches will also stream live and on-demand on ESPNPlay.com in Spanish-speaking Latin America and on WatchESPN in Brazil.

Under the agreement, ESPN will also carry England’s men’s national team World Cup qualifier and friendly home matches including the upcoming qualifiers against Ukraine on September 11, which is England’s first qualification match on the road to Brazil; and San Marino on October 12. Additional matches will be telecast through 2013, including key matches against Poland and Scotland.

The FA’s Head of Broadcast Mark Shannon commented, «We are delighted to announce our new partnership with ESPN in South America. The FA is aware of just how popular and well supported both The FA Cup and the England teams are in those regions and in ESPN have found a partner that shares that passion. ESPN’s already strong football portfolio makes it the perfect home, with the world’s oldest domestic cup competition now sitting side by side with the Champions League.»

«We are thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver the English National Team, The FA Cup and Community Shield to football fans in South America for six more seasons,” said Michael Walters, vice president, programming, ESPN International. “The FA Cup is the world’s oldest football knockout tournament and a uniquely exciting competition with a rich heritage that reaches back more than 100 years and across all of English football.  Each season, it features many of the biggest clubs in the world and delivers some of the greatest drama and storylines in global football as they face each other as well as lower division and non-league clubs.  The FA package of premium football will continue to be an important part of ESPN’s programming lineup that includes the world’s best football leagues and many other top sports events from around the world.»

The agreement was brokered by Pitch International on behalf of The FA.

First contested in 1871, The FA Cup is England’s top knockout competition and the oldest and most historic association football competition in the world. Each year, more than 750 clubs from all levels of English football enter the “Cup of Dreams” at various stages, all with hopes continuing round-by-round to the Final – and potentially notching a “giant killing.”  Among the football giants that each of the “minnows” hope to get their shot at are some of the world’s best and most well-known club sides – including Manchester United, 2011 FA Cup Champions Manchester City, 2012 Cup winners Chelsea, and their Final counterparts, Liverpool.

Fans in South America will be able to see the drama of this historic knockout tournament, and see some of the best football in the world, starting with the First Round Proper on November 3.

ESPN’S FA CUP COVERAGE INCLUDES: