F
UTBOL DE PRIMERA ADDS U.S. RADIO RIGHTS IN ALL LANGUAGES FOR
2006 FIFA WORLD CUP TO PREVIOUSLY-HELD 2002 FIFA WORLD CUP
RADIO RIGHTS
SAN FRANCISCO (June 20, 2002) - Fútbol de Primera, the owners of the
exclusive U.S. radio rights in all languages for the 2002 FIFA World
Cup and owners of the exclusive U.S. Spanish-language radio rights
for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, announced today that it has acquired
the exclusive U.S. radio rights for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in all
languages. FDP also owns the exclusive U.S. radio rights in all
languages to all FIFA Additional Events through 2006.
After a lengthy negotiation, Fútbol de Primera reached this agreement
with Kirch Media Group and FIFA, the international organization that
governs soccer around the world.
As a result, Fútbol de Primera, who previously owned all radio rights
in the United States to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in every language
such as Spanish, English, Portuguese, Polish, Korean, German,
French, etc, now owns these same rights for the 2006 FIFA World Cup as
well.
For the past 15 years Fútbol de Primera has dedicated itself to the
development of soccer in the United States. In 1991 Fútbol de
Primera created the Honda Player of the Year award, which is given
annually to the best player on the U.S. National Soccer Team as chosen
by the media. Additionally, Fútbol de Primera organizes the annual
Honda Symposium, which provides a forum for the leading personalities
in the world of soccer to speak candidly about the game. Fútbol de
Primera also broadcasts all United States National Team home games
on its Spanish-language radio network of 100 stations across the
country.
In making today's announcement, Alex Gutman, the Co-Chairman of
Fútbol de Primera, said: "Since the 1980s we have been pioneers in
the development of soccer in the U.S. with our daily radio programs,
our acquisition of important radio rights, our organization of soccer
events, our creation of the largest Spanish-language radio network
ever, our publication of books and magazines and our broadcasts of
U.S. National Team games to the Hispanic community. Now we feel that
there is a void in the development of soccer in other languages,
especially English, and we are going to try to fill this void as well.
This will be a difficult task, but it was also difficult to reach
the point we are at today and we feel ready for this new challenge.
We are very happy and proud to extend our relationship with Kirch
Media Group and FIFA in this way and we feel that this agreement
exemplifies the confidence that they have in Fútbol de Primera."
For more information, please contact Fútbol de Primera at (415) 441-9800.
