AFL-ESPN partnership to showcase two VooDoo games
Published on December 19, 2006 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release
ESPN and the Arena Football League have entered into a five-year agreement that includes extensive multimedia rights and a minimum of 26 televised games per season, beginning in 2007. ESPN has also purchased a minority ownership stake in the AFL as part of the agreement that enhances ESPN's football programming lineup, the most comprehensive in sports television, with year-round football on Monday nights.
The partnership will have a positive impact on VooDoo fans as two regular season contests for the 2007 season have been scheduled to be nationally televised by ESPN2 as part of the network's Monday night broadcast package. New Orleans will make their debut on the network when they travel to face the Philadelphia Soul on Monday, May 21 at 6:30 p.m. The following Monday on May 28, the New Orleans Arena will be the site for a match up between the VooDoo and the New York Dragons at 6:30 p.m.
As part of this partnership, New Orleans will also be showcased nationally when ABC broadcasts ArenaBowl XXI live on Saturday, July 29 at 2 p.m. in the New Orleans Arena as the city hosts its first team sports championship since Hurricane Katrina.
"The ESPN and AFL media partnership is an excellent opportunity for both parties," said VooDoo Owner/Executive Vice President Rita Benson LeBlanc. "This is the beginning of a multi-dimensional relationship in which both companies can explore new media platforms for reaching our fans and developing new entertainment options. For the VooDoo, the games on ESPN2 will be filled with action packed gridiron excitement for our fans and for people across the nation following New Orleans. As we look ahead to ArenaBowl XXI in New Orleans, we are pleased to have another national broadcast opportunity to showcase our city and the Gulf South Region."
ESPN will televise a minimum of 17 regular-season games and nine playoff games -- including at least three Wild Card games, three Divisional Playoff games, both Conference Championships and the ArenaBowl -- on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. ESPN will also have an exclusive window for weekly Monday night primetime games on ESPN2 -- continuing to establish Monday as the "football night" for fans year-round.
Similar to recent major ESPN content acquisitions, the agreement entails a broad range of rights. Fifteen ESPN platforms will benefit from this new agreement, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN on ABC, ESPN Classic, ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD; ESPN.com; Spanish-language ESPN Deportes; ESPN360 (the company's growing interactive and customizable broadband service); Mobile ESPN Publishing (the company's wireless content licensing business); ESPN Radio, ESPN The Magazine and other ESPN-branded services (i.e., iPod, video-on-demand). ESPN also gains the right to both air and syndicate Arena Football League games through ESPN International.
ESPN's 2007 AFL coverage will kick off on ABC with a pair of regional games - defending ArenaBowl champion Chicago Rush at Kansas City Brigade and Dallas Desperados at New York Dragons -- on Sunday, March 4 at 11:30 p.m. CT. ABC will broadcast ArenaBowl XXI live on Saturday, July 29 at 2 p.m. from New Orleans Arena.
CST, the club's regional broadcast partner will televise the majority of the VooDoo's 2007 regular season contests. The team's complete 2007 broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from December 19, 2006
- Avengers in the community - Los Angeles Avengers
- AFL-ESPN partnership to showcase two VooDoo games - New Orleans VooDoo
- Predators featured on first Monday night broadcast - Orlando Predators
- Rush featured prominently on new ESPN TV deal - Chicago Rush
- AFL and ESPN enter into long-term agreement - AFL I
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.
