SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO AND CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE BROADCASTING AGREEMENT
SIRIUS to carry the official club broadcast of the two-time defending English Premier League Champion Blues
Legendary soccer star Giorgio Chinaglia to host exclusive coverage
NEW YORK – September 19, 2006 – Chelsea Football Club, the two-time defending champions of Barclays English Premier League, and SIRIUS Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI), the Official Satellite Radio Partner of Barclays English Premier League, announced today an agreement to make SIRIUS the exclusive satellite radio provider of Chelsea football.
Starting this season SIRIUS, which currently airs multiple EPL games every week throughout the season, will broadcast every Chelsea Premier League game live, providing listeners in the U.S. and Canada access to the official Chelsea club broadcast. This Saturday, September 23, SIRIUS will air Chelsea v. Fulham at 10:00 am ET on channel 125.
Prior to every Chelsea match on SIRIUS, legendary soccer star Giorgio Chinaglia, former New York Cosmos and Italian national team striker, and Charlie Stillitano, former general manager of the New York/New Jersey Metrostars and U.S. Soccer Foundation founding board member, will give fans from coast to coast an expert view of the Club on the Chelsea True Blue show, a 60-minute pre-game show dedicated to all things Chelsea. The program, airing exclusively on SIRIUS channel 125, will include interviews with players and key Chelsea personnel, full match commentary, live feeds from post-match press conferences, listener call-ins and various guests.
"More and more people in the U.S. are paying attention to professional soccer after such a fantastic World Cup," said Chinaglia, who played for Italy in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. "With World Cup stars like Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack joining John Terry and Frank Lampard on the Chelsea roster this season, now is the perfect time for soccer fans to follow one of the best teams in the world. And for the fans already enjoying the EPL matches on SIRIUS, I'm excited to bring an extra layer of passion for the sport with our new show."
"The launch of the new Chelsea show on SIRIUS demonstrates our long-term commitment to the U.S. market. During our recent trip to the U.S., we experienced a massive wave of support with thousands of fans showing up at Chelsea practices and appearances. As our recognition in the United States continues to increase, we want to give our growing fan base greater access to Chelsea news, interviews and exclusive content," said Chelsea Business Affairs Director Paul Smith.
“Year after year Chelsea distinguishes itself as one of the finest soccer clubs in all the world,” said Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS’ President, Entertainment and Sports. “The expansion of our Chelsea coverage and the addition of the insight and expertise of Giorgio Chinaglia and Charlie Stillitano makes SIRIUS soccer coverage a must-have for soccer fans as we showcase some of the game’s best matches and most exciting players.”
Chelsea will return to the United States next summer to participate in a pre-season tournament. Founded in 1905, Chelsea Football Club plays in the English Premier League and won the last two consecutive Premiership titles. Nicknamed The Blues, Chelsea calls Stamford Bridge in South West London home. Visit www.chelseafc.com for more information.
In addition to SIRIUS’ expansive radio coverage of Chelsea, Chinaglia and Stillitano will host a weekly soccer talk show exclusively on SIRIUS that will cover the best teams and leagues from around the globe with expert analysis and interviews with the sport’s most intriguing personalities. “The Football Show” will debut Wednesday September 27 (5-8 pm ET) and air Wednesday afternoons throughout the year exclusively on SIRIUS channel 125.
In a career that spanned three decades, Chinaglia became one of soccer’s most prolific scorers. Born in Italy, Chinaglia grew up in Wales and began his career with Swansea City before returning to Italy where he starred for the Italian national team and the professional club Lazio, which he led to a league championship in Serie A. In 1976 he traveled to America and played eight seasons for the New York Cosmos, prowling the pitch alongside legends like Pele and Franz Beckenbauer. While with the Cosmos, he led the North American Soccer League in scoring four times, became the league’s all-time leading scorer and was named the league’s most valuable player in 1981. In 2000 Chinaglia was inducted into the U.S.A. National Soccer Hall of Fame. Chinaglia is an ESPN guest analyst and served as an analyst for ABC’s coverage of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
Charlie Stillitano is recognized as one of the most respected international soccer experts in the world. In 1994 Charlie was the Venue Executive Director for the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA, New York/New Jersey Venue, which played its matches at Giants Stadium, and he later became one of the first executives hired by the fledgling Major League Soccer organization to run the New York area’s major league team – the NY/NJ MetroStars. Charlie is the founder and CEO of ChampionsWorld, the sports marketing company he launched in 2000 that focuses on European soccer. Charlie attended Princeton University where he was captain of the Men’s Varsity Soccer Team, an All-America Selection and was elected three times to the All-Ivy Team. He attended Rutgers University Law School, and presently serves as a board member of the US Soccer Foundation.
Throughout the 2006-07 EPL season, SIRIUS listeners can hear the 20 best teams in the U.K. compete for the league title. All games will air on SIRIUS channels 125 and 110. For more information on SIRIUS’ soccer programming and a schedule of upcoming EPL games on SIRIUS, visit www.sirius.com.
In addition to live coverage of the Premier League, SIRIUS subscribers can tune in to World Soccer Daily, the popular daily soccer talk program that provides an in-depth look at the EPL with news, expert analysis and interviews with the biggest names in the game Hosted by Steven Cohen and Nick Geber, World Soccer Daily airs every weekday from 1-3pm ET exclusively on SIRIUS Sports Action, channel 123.
SIRIUS is also the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, NBA, NHL, AFL and Wimbledon Championships. SIRIUS provides sports news, talk and play-by-play action for more than 150 colleges, including the entire NCAA® Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, plus several of the year’s top thoroughbred horse races. Starting in 2007, SIRIUS will be the official satellite radio home of NASCAR.
SIRIUS to carry the official club broadcast of the two-time defending English Premier League Champion Blues
Legendary soccer star Giorgio Chinaglia to host exclusive coverage
NEW YORK – September 19, 2006 – Chelsea Football Club, the two-time defending champions of Barclays English Premier League, and SIRIUS Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI), the Official Satellite Radio Partner of Barclays English Premier League, announced today an agreement to make SIRIUS the exclusive satellite radio provider of Chelsea football.
Starting this season SIRIUS, which currently airs multiple EPL games every week throughout the season, will broadcast every Chelsea Premier League game live, providing listeners in the U.S. and Canada access to the official Chelsea club broadcast. This Saturday, September 23, SIRIUS will air Chelsea v. Fulham at 10:00 am ET on channel 125.
Prior to every Chelsea match on SIRIUS, legendary soccer star Giorgio Chinaglia, former New York Cosmos and Italian national team striker, and Charlie Stillitano, former general manager of the New York/New Jersey Metrostars and U.S. Soccer Foundation founding board member, will give fans from coast to coast an expert view of the Club on the Chelsea True Blue show, a 60-minute pre-game show dedicated to all things Chelsea. The program, airing exclusively on SIRIUS channel 125, will include interviews with players and key Chelsea personnel, full match commentary, live feeds from post-match press conferences, listener call-ins and various guests.
"More and more people in the U.S. are paying attention to professional soccer after such a fantastic World Cup," said Chinaglia, who played for Italy in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. "With World Cup stars like Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack joining John Terry and Frank Lampard on the Chelsea roster this season, now is the perfect time for soccer fans to follow one of the best teams in the world. And for the fans already enjoying the EPL matches on SIRIUS, I'm excited to bring an extra layer of passion for the sport with our new show."
"The launch of the new Chelsea show on SIRIUS demonstrates our long-term commitment to the U.S. market. During our recent trip to the U.S., we experienced a massive wave of support with thousands of fans showing up at Chelsea practices and appearances. As our recognition in the United States continues to increase, we want to give our growing fan base greater access to Chelsea news, interviews and exclusive content," said Chelsea Business Affairs Director Paul Smith.
“Year after year Chelsea distinguishes itself as one of the finest soccer clubs in all the world,” said Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS’ President, Entertainment and Sports. “The expansion of our Chelsea coverage and the addition of the insight and expertise of Giorgio Chinaglia and Charlie Stillitano makes SIRIUS soccer coverage a must-have for soccer fans as we showcase some of the game’s best matches and most exciting players.”
Chelsea will return to the United States next summer to participate in a pre-season tournament. Founded in 1905, Chelsea Football Club plays in the English Premier League and won the last two consecutive Premiership titles. Nicknamed The Blues, Chelsea calls Stamford Bridge in South West London home. Visit www.chelseafc.com for more information.
In addition to SIRIUS’ expansive radio coverage of Chelsea, Chinaglia and Stillitano will host a weekly soccer talk show exclusively on SIRIUS that will cover the best teams and leagues from around the globe with expert analysis and interviews with the sport’s most intriguing personalities. “The Football Show” will debut Wednesday September 27 (5-8 pm ET) and air Wednesday afternoons throughout the year exclusively on SIRIUS channel 125.
In a career that spanned three decades, Chinaglia became one of soccer’s most prolific scorers. Born in Italy, Chinaglia grew up in Wales and began his career with Swansea City before returning to Italy where he starred for the Italian national team and the professional club Lazio, which he led to a league championship in Serie A. In 1976 he traveled to America and played eight seasons for the New York Cosmos, prowling the pitch alongside legends like Pele and Franz Beckenbauer. While with the Cosmos, he led the North American Soccer League in scoring four times, became the league’s all-time leading scorer and was named the league’s most valuable player in 1981. In 2000 Chinaglia was inducted into the U.S.A. National Soccer Hall of Fame. Chinaglia is an ESPN guest analyst and served as an analyst for ABC’s coverage of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
Charlie Stillitano is recognized as one of the most respected international soccer experts in the world. In 1994 Charlie was the Venue Executive Director for the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA, New York/New Jersey Venue, which played its matches at Giants Stadium, and he later became one of the first executives hired by the fledgling Major League Soccer organization to run the New York area’s major league team – the NY/NJ MetroStars. Charlie is the founder and CEO of ChampionsWorld, the sports marketing company he launched in 2000 that focuses on European soccer. Charlie attended Princeton University where he was captain of the Men’s Varsity Soccer Team, an All-America Selection and was elected three times to the All-Ivy Team. He attended Rutgers University Law School, and presently serves as a board member of the US Soccer Foundation.
Throughout the 2006-07 EPL season, SIRIUS listeners can hear the 20 best teams in the U.K. compete for the league title. All games will air on SIRIUS channels 125 and 110. For more information on SIRIUS’ soccer programming and a schedule of upcoming EPL games on SIRIUS, visit www.sirius.com.
In addition to live coverage of the Premier League, SIRIUS subscribers can tune in to World Soccer Daily, the popular daily soccer talk program that provides an in-depth look at the EPL with news, expert analysis and interviews with the biggest names in the game Hosted by Steven Cohen and Nick Geber, World Soccer Daily airs every weekday from 1-3pm ET exclusively on SIRIUS Sports Action, channel 123.
SIRIUS is also the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, NBA, NHL, AFL and Wimbledon Championships. SIRIUS provides sports news, talk and play-by-play action for more than 150 colleges, including the entire NCAA® Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, plus several of the year’s top thoroughbred horse races. Starting in 2007, SIRIUS will be the official satellite radio home of NASCAR.
