LOS ANGELES: Fox will become the first U.S. network to carry the European Champions League final. The match, originally scheduled to appear on FX, will be telecast live in HD on the broadcast network May 22 from Madrid. The over-the-air network has access to 115 million households versus around 95 million for FX.
“The event is Fox Sports’ first-ever soccer broadcast, and joins a select few major international soccer championships ever to receive broadcast television exposure in the U.S.,” the sports net said. “This season’s UEFA Champions League Final on May 22 is being held on a Saturday for the first time in its history with a 2:30 p.m. ET Fox on-air time and 2:45 p.m. ET match kick-off from Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.”
Fox Soccer Channel is in the first of a three-year agreement with the UEFA. Coverage began last August. League games have been carried on the soccer network, Fox Soccer Plus, FSN and Fox Sports en Español. Starting March 1, Fox Soccer Plus will offer up to 22 additional live matches per year. FSN has 16 matches queued up; and Fox Sports en Español distributes 110 total contests--live and delayed--in Spanish to its 14 million subscribers, Fox Sports said.
(Image by Ben Phillips)
