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WPS Sky Blue FC

Sky Blue FC Adds Four Through WPS General Draft

October 6, 2008 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
Sky Blue FC News Release


SOMERSET, NJ (Oct. 6, 2008) - Sky Blue FC - the New Jersey/New York franchise in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) - obtained the negotiating rights to four additional players today through the WPS General Draft. With its four picks in the draft, Sky Blue FC selected goalkeeper Cori Alexander, defender Keeley Dowling, midfielder Kacey White, and defender Jenny Anderson-Hammond.

Sky Blue FC now controls the negotiating rights to 13 players total including six international players picked in the WPS International Draft and the three United States Women's National Team players - Heather O'Reilly, Christie Rampone, and Natasha Kai - acquired through an allocation process.

"Again, as in the last draft, I am delighted with the mix of players I was able to select," said Sky Blue FC Head Coach and General Manager Ian Sawyers. "In this group we have international experience, either the full US National team, Under 23 or Under 20 US National teams. So they've played in big games, under pressure, and they bring that high level of playing experience with them to our team. All four of them also come from high level collegiate programs; at least two have won NCAA National Championships."

The first pick in the draft for Sky Blue FC and seventh overall was Alexander, who starred on the collegiate level for the University of Portland and captured an NCAA Championship with the Pilots in 2005. She was a member of the United States Under-23 National Team that captured the Nordic Cup in each of the past two seasons. The 23-year old native of Martinez, CA was also a member of the Seattle Sounders Women in the W-League this past summer.

Sky Blue FC added to its defense with its next pick (8th overall) selecting Keeley Dowling. The former University of Tennessee player has been in residency with the USWNT the past two years and also has extensive appearances for the United States on the youth level including a FIFA Under-19 World Championship title in 2002 and a Nordic Cup title with the US U-21 team in 2004. The 25-year old native of Carmel, IN also played in Sweden with KIF Örebro 2005 and 2006 and with the Charlotte Lady Eagles in the W-League.

With the 21st pick overall, Sky Blue FC tabbed for University of North Carolina standout Kacey White. A member of the USWNT and an alternate for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, White has also played with the US U-19, U-21, and U-23 National Teams. In addition to playing with Bälinge in Sweden, the 24-year old from Arlington, TX has also played on the club level for the New Jersey Wildcats - a team she led to the 2005 W-League Championship, earning Tournament MVP honors in the process.

The final Sky Blue FC pick and 22nd overall was Anderson-Hammond, who currently serves as an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois University. A graduate of Clemson University, Anderson-Hammond has extensive experience in the W-League, most recently with the Chicago Gaels in 2008. The 25-year old native of Mission Viejo, CA also played with the Asheville Splash, Boston Renegades, and Charlotte Lady Eagles.

Season tickets for Sky Blue FC are on sale now by visiting Sky Blue Soccer on the internet at www.SkyBlueFC.com or by calling 888-SBFC-TIX.

Women's Professional Soccer and Fox Soccer Channel Announce Multi-Year Television Rights Agreement

SAN FRANCISCO & LOS ANGELES, CA (Oct. 6, 2008) - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) and Fox Soccer Channel today announced a multi-year partnership to televise a live national Sunday night WPS game of the week on America's premier soccer network beginning in 2009, the inaugural season for WPS.

The agreement covers three years with a fourth-year option and guarantees national coverage and appointment television to over 34 million homes for an exclusive WPS Sunday night game of the week as well as the league All-Star Game on Fox Soccer Channel, while postseason coverage will reach over 80 million homes nationally on Fox Sports Net's owned and affiliated regional sports networks. The announcement coincides with today's WPS General Draft - taking place at league headquarters in San Francisco - the results of which will be announced on Fox Soccer Channel's Fox Football Fone-In at 8pm ET (5pm PT) on Monday, October 6.

"Fox Soccer Channel has become the go-to place for global soccer coverage in the United States and is a tremendous broadcast platform for our league," said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci. "Between the FSC flagship, the Fox Sports Net regional networks and FoxSoccer.com, FSC is the right partner to bring WPS, the world's best women's soccer league, to sports fans and soccer fanatics alike."

"Fox Soccer Channel takes great pride in showcasing the 'beautiful game' at all levels, and the addition of Women's Professional Soccer to our programming lineup will add an exciting new dimension to our network," said David Sternberg, executive vice president and general manager of Fox Soccer Channel. "With the women's game enjoying an unprecedented surge in popularity, we are eager to showcase the world's elite players during Fox Soccer Channel's live and exclusive WPS game of the week telecasts."

The agreement, which begins next April, covers a minimum of 20 games over the course of the regular season and the WPS All-Star Game on Fox Soccer Channel. Fox Sports Net's postseason coverage features all games: two semifinal games on August 15/16 and the WPS championship game the weekend of August 22/23. Fox Soccer Channel's coverage also features WPS pregame and postgame shows and WPS round-up segments on Fox Soccer Report plus content sharing across womensprosoccer.com and FoxSoccer.com.

"In addition to live and exclusive match telecasts, Fox Soccer Channel will give WPS added exposure through our multi-platform offerings including original studio shows and our market-leading website, foxsoccer.com," Sternberg added.

Fox Soccer Channel and WPS have also agreed to extensive cross-promotional and tune-in initiatives on-air, online and on-site including FoxSoccer.com and other marketing considerations.

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