LOS ANGELES AVENGERS INK DEAL WITH FOX SPORTS NET 2
March 21, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release
In addition to eight games on FSN2, TNN will carry one contest nationally
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Avengers will have eight games televised live on Fox Sports Net 2 and one on The New TNN: The National Network in their third season of play in the Arena Football League, team president and chief operating officer Todd Merkow announced today. The deal with Fox Sports Net 2 also calls for a half-hour preseason special "The L.A. Avengers -- Fun. Fast. Furious." that will air on numerous occasions prior to the season opener.
"Fox Sports Net 2 has been with the Avengers since the beginning, providing valuable exposure into the marketplace," Merkow said. "We are pleased to announce the continuation of our relationship with Fox Sports Net 2 and creation of the preseason special, which will get our fans well prepared for the upcoming 2002 season."
The Avengers open the AFL's 16th season on Friday, April 19, at STAPLES Center against the New York Dragons. That contest, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m., will be televised live on FSN2.
Five other Avenger home games will be carried on FSN2: June 1 (Dallas Desperados), June 8 (San Jose SaberCats), June 22 (Carolina Cobras), July 6 (Arizona Rattlers) and July 20 (Buffalo Destroyers). Two road contests -- April 27 (at Arizona) and May 11 (at San Jose) -- will be televised on FSN2.
"The Avengers play an exciting, high-scoring brand of football and we are looking forward to our third season of telecasting their games," said Steve Simpson, vice president and general manager of Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports Net 2.
Veteran Southland broadcaster Bill Macdonald returns for his third season as the television play-by-play voice of the Avengers. Macdonald's busy schedules includes calling the play-by-play for UCLA football and men's basketball, and working on broadcasts involving the NBA World Champion Los Angeles Lakers and the NHL's Los Angeles Kings.
Artie Gigantino also is back for his second consecutive season as the color commentator on Avenger television broadcasts. In the past several years, he has worked various assignments for FOX Sports, Fox Sports Net, CBS Sports and KCAL 9. A noted college football and National Football League assistant coach, Gigantino worked at the University of Southern California for eight seasons (1979-86), before joining the staff of the Los Angeles Rams for four years (1987-90).
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 3.1 million viewers in Southern California, Nevada and Hawaii. FSN2 is also home to Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, the NHL's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy and the WNBA's World Champion Los Angeles Sparks.
The Avengers' one game on The New TNN: The National Network will air on July 14, as the Avengers hit the road to battle the Indiana Firebirds at Conseco Fieldhouse. That game will be a homecoming of sorts for Avenger head coach Ed Hodgkiss, who was the Firebirds' offensive coordinator for the previous three seasons.
The New TNN is America's fastest growing entertainment network on basic cable. Since joining the MTV Networks family in September of 2000, TNN has set ratings records each and every month and has brought a whole new audience to its schedule. Anchored by some of the most popular series around the world, including basic cable's No. 1 program, the World Wrestling Federation's RAW, TNN is a Top 10 network among adults ages 18-49 and is currently seen in more than 85 million homes.
Avenger season tickets, which include all seven home games played at STAPLES Center, are now on sale and can be purchased over the telephone at (888) AVENGERS or online at www.laavengers.com.
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