L.A. Avengers and Fox Sports Net 2 announce TV deal
December 10, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Avengers will have six games televised on Fox Sports Net 2 in their fourth season of play in the 17-year-old Arena Football League, team president and chief operating officer Todd Merkow announced today.
Fox Sports Net 2's local coverage will supplement the AFL's national television partnership with NBC Sports, which will often times showcase the Avengers, giving the franchise an extremely comprehensive broadcast package.
The Avengers will open the 2003 AFL season on Sunday, Feb. 2, versus the New Jersey Gladiators at STAPLES Center. The game will be carried live on Fox Sports Net 2. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
Three other Avenger home games will be carried on FSN 2: March 23 (Grand Rapids Rampage), April 18 (Buffalo Destroyers) and May 10 (Colorado Crush). Two road contests -- March 30 (at Orlando Predators) and May 17 (at San Jose SaberCats) -- will be televised on Fox Sports Net 2.
"Fox Sports Net 2 has been with the Avengers since the very beginning, providing valuable exposure and helping us build a tradition of Arena Football into the marketplace," Merkow said. "We are pleased to announce the continuation of our relationship and look forward to them joining us for what will be a landmark season in the history of the AFL and the Avengers."
The deal with FSN 2 also calls for a half-hour preseason special presented by Carl's Jr. entitled "The L.A. Avengers -- Fun. Fast. Furious." that will air on numerous occasions prior to the season opener. In addition, Avenger highlights, features, reports and interviews will be featured throughout the season on Fox Sports Net's nightly "Southern California Sports Report."
Veteran Southland broadcaster Bill Macdonald will return for his fourth year as the television play-by-play voice of the Avengers. His busy schedule includes calling the play-by-play for UCLA football and men's basketball, hosting the pregame shows for the three-time defending NBA world champion Los Angeles Lakers, the 2002 World Series champion Anaheim Angels and NHL's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
"The Avengers play an exciting brand of professional football and we are happy to continue to be their home team network," said Steve Simpson, vice president and general manager of Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports Net 2. "We look forward to televising their home opener, plus five additional games on Fox Sports Net 2, as the Avengers begin their quest to reach the playoffs for the second year in a row."
Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports Net 2 present more live, local sports programming than any other cable network or broadcast station in the market. Fox Sports Net 2 reaches 4.2 million viewers in Southern California, Nevada and Hawai'i. In addition to the Avengers, FSN 2 is also home to Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, the NHL's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, the WNBA world champion Los Angeles Sparks, plus USC and UCLA athletics.
As many as nine Avenger games will be televised on NBC, including a Week 2 match-up against the defending ArenaBowl world champion San Jose SaberCats on Feb. 9, at STAPLES Center. The network is slated to televise up to 70 AFL games (regular-season and playoffs), including ArenaBowl XVII on Sunday, June 22.
Avenger season tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling 1-888-AVENGERS or online at www.laavengers.com.
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