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Univision Acquires Rights to Broadcast Major League Soccer

September 25, 2006 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


NEW YORK (Monday, September 25, 2006) - Soccer United Marketing (SUM) has reached a comprehensive agreement with Univision Communications Inc. for the broadcast rights to Major League Soccer and other top soccer properties through 2014, it was announced today by SUM CEO Don Garber and David Downs, President of Univision Sports.

As part of the eight-year agreement, Univision will broadcast 25 MLS games per season, 10 U.S. Men's National Team games and five international matches operated by SUM. Games under the agreement will be televised on all three of Univision's networks, Univision, Telefutura and Galavision.

"This eight-year partnership with Univision is an important step forward for MLS and soccer in the United States," Garber said. "Univision is one of our country's highest-quality broadcasters in any language and its telecasts of our games allow more soccer fans to see our product and follow their favorite teams. Univision's commitment proves that MLS continues to evolve as a bilingual and multi-cultural League, one that welcomes all who love the game."

Downs said: "Univision, as the number one television network for U.S. Hispanic soccer fans, believes that the future of the sport in this country depends on Hispanic America embracing it at its highest levels here, and we are proud to showcase MLS and the U.S. National Team as we collectively realize that new future."

MLS games return to the Univision airwaves for the first time since 1999. Univision was an official television partner of Major League Soccer when the league first kicked off in 1996 and for four seasons aired an MLS game of the week on Sundays.

The MLS agreement follows Univision's recent acquisition of the exclusive Spanish-language television rights to broadcast the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup™ tournaments throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. That agreement includes broadcast rights for the FIFA Women's World Cups 2007 and 2011 and FIFA Confederations Cups 2009 and 2013, as well as 22 additional tournaments.

Univision and its family of networks join ABC/ESPN, HDNet, Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español as broadcast partners of MLS.

Highlights of the agreement:

Univision/TeleFutura will televise 25 MLS matches live, primarily on Sunday nights, starting with the 2007 season.

Univision/Galavisión will televise 10 U.S. National Team games.

Univision/TeleFutura will broadcast two marquee MLS matches - the MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup.

Univision/TeleFutura MLS telecasts will be featured and analyzed on its internet platform, Univision.com.

Univision/TeleFutura will highlight MLS games on its two main sports shows: Republica Deportiva (Sunday, 11a.m. ET on Univision) and Contacto Deportivo (daily, 11:00p.m. ET on TeleFutura).

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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