WPS partners with Fox Soccer Channel, Announces General Draft Results

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

SAN FRANCISCO & LOS ANGELES, CA (October 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.

WPS General Draft Results

October 6, 2008

League Office, San Francisco

Round One Player (Country/College) Notes

1. Washington Freedom Sarah Huffman (Virginia)

2. Bay Area Jill Oakes (UCLA)

3. Washington Freedom Becky Sauerbrunn (Virginia) (via trade with St. Louis on Sept. 24)

4. Boston Breakers Amy LePeilbet (Arizona St.)

5. Los Angeles Karina LeBlanc (Nebraska)

6. Chicago Red Stars Danesha Adams (UCLA)

7. Sky Blue FC Cori Alexander (Portland)

Round Two

8. Sky Blue FC Keeley Dowling (Tennessee)

9. Chicago Red Stars Ella Masar (Illinois)

10. Los Angeles Kendall Fletcher (UNC)

11. Boston Breakers Nancy Augustyniak Goffi (Clemson)

12. Los Angeles Christie Welsh (Penn State) (via trade with St. Louis on Sept. 24)

13. Bay Area Kandace Wilson (Cal St. Fullerton)

14. St. Louis India Trotter (Florida St.) (via trade with the Washington Freedom on Sept. 24)

Round Three

15. St. Louis Angie Woznuk (Portland) (via trade with the Washington Freedom on Sept. 24)

16. Bay Area Liz Bogus (Arizona St.)

17. Washington Freedom Lori Lindsey (Virginia) (via trade with St. Louis on Sept. 24)

18. Boston Breakers Sue Weber (Hofstra)

19. Los Angeles Manya Makoski (Arizona St.)

20. Chicago Red Stars Marian Dalmy (Santa Clara)

21. Sky Blue FC Kacey White (UNC)

Round Four

22. Sky Blue FC Jenny Anderson-Hammond (Clemson)

23. Chicago Red Stars Ifeoma Dieke (Florida Int'l)

24. St. Louis Joanna Lohman (Penn State) (via trade with Los Angeles on Sept. 24)

25. Boston Breakers Kristin Luckenbill (Dartmouth)

26. St. Louis Amanda Cinalli (Notre Dame)

27. Bay Area Tracy Hamm (Cal Berkeley)

28. Washington Freedom Emily Janss (Maryland)

NOTE: Each of the seven teams had four picks. The order was established based on a lottery done at the Board of Governors meeting on September 15, 2008 prior to the U.S. National Team allocation on September 17. The order was 1-7, 7-1, 1-7, 7-1. The WPS General Draft was open to both domestic and international players.

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• WPS partners with Fox Soccer Channel, Announces General Draft Results - WPS

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