Various Press Release Action

I have three more releases and they’re all going in one post. This will end the press releases for this morning.

I’m sure many of you will watch the World Series of Poker when it returns at the end of this month.

World Series of Poker Europe Returns to ESPN2 on January 31 with Caesars Cup

In just three years, The World Series of Poker Europe has become one of poker’s most prestigious tournaments. And for the second straight year, ESPN2 will provide comprehensive coverage from the famed Casino at the Empire in London, England.

After successful coverage in 2009, the telecast plans for 2010 include an additional two episodes.

Pride, bragging rights and the inaugural Caesars Cup are all up for grabs when the World Series of Poker Europe airs on ESPN2 beginning Sunday, Jan. 31, at 11 p.m. ET with back-to-back episodes.

Comprised of the biggest names in the game including Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth, Gus Hansen, Annette Obrestad, Peter Eastgate and Patrik Antonius, this unique event features Team Europe vs. Team Americas in a series of single and team matches.

Main Event action airs beginning Sunday, February 7, at 10 p.m. ET with all the above names and more as poker’s elite battle it out for the coveted WSOPE Main Event bracelet and the nearly $1.3 million first-place prize.

Lon McEachern and Norman Chad return to call the action.  They will be joined on each WSOP Europe telecast by sideline reporter and professional poker player Kara Scott. The complete ESPN2 schedule appears below.  All times are Eastern and subject to change.

Sun 1/31	11:00 PM
Mon 2/1	12:00 AM
Sun 2/7	10:00 PM
Sun 2/7	11:00 PM
Mon 2/8	12:00 AM
Sun 2/14	11:00 PM
Mon 2/15	12:00 AM
Mon 2/15	1:00 AM
Sun 2/28	9:00 PM
Sun 2/28	10:00 PM

Fox Soccer Channel has announced studio highlight shows for the World Cup, one of which will feature analyst Andy Graywho did a great job for ESPN during the Euro Cup two years ago.

ANDY GRAY AND RICHARD KEYS TO JOIN FOX SOCCER CHANNEL

FOR IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF SOCCER’S BIGGEST SPECTACLE

Ticket to South Africa with Gray and Keys airs this June,

Passport to South Africa premieres January 18, both in high-definition

Los Angeles (January 11, 2010) – Fox Soccer Channel today announced that a pair of in-depth studio shows, Ticket to South Africa and Passport to South Africa will anchor the network’s coverage of the world’s biggest soccer tournament taking place later this year.

As the world’s attention turns to South Africa in June, Fox Soccer Channel will assemble an impressive line-up of expert analysts led by Andy Gray from Great Britain’s Sky Sports.  Premiering Thursday, June 10 and airing as the final whistle blows each matchday, Ticket to South Africa is a live, one-hour studio show presenting a complete recap of every game, previews of future matches and reports from Fox Soccer Channel’s correspondents at the venues. Gray will be joined by Fox Soccer Channel’s well-respected commentators Christopher Sullivan (former U.S. National Team midfielder) and Warren Barton (former Newcastle United and England National Team defender)
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After enjoying a standout career with Scotland’s National Team and top-flight English clubs, Gray transitioned to the broadcasting booth and is widely considered one of the beautiful game’s most insightful voices.  The Glasgow native currently provides color commentary on Barclays Premier League and UEFA Champions League matches, and has previously added his voice to FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship telecasts. 

Richard Keys – who serves as Gray’s frequent broadcast partner – will anchor Ticket to South Africa. A veteran play-by-play announcer of over 1,000 soccer match telecasts, Keys is the presenter of Sky Sports’ flagship Barclays Premier League program Super Sunday. 

“The addition of Andy Gray and Richard Keys to our on-air talent team means viewers will hear from two incredibly knowledgeable sources who have covered the game at its highest levels – on location in Europe and beyond – for years,” said Dermot McQuarrie, Senior Vice President of Programming and Production for Fox Soccer Channel. 

Complementing Ticket to South Africa during the month-long tournament, Fox Soccer Channel will feature expanded coverage from Fox Soccer Report and Sky Sports News, both featuring teams reporting live from South Africa.

Additionally, premiering Monday, Jan. 18 at 9:30 p.m. ET is Passport to South Africa, a nine-episode series focusing on the 32 nations competing for glory this June and July.  These insightful 30-minute studio shows will look at each country’s grouping, how it qualified and its chances to take home the title.  Passport will feature in-depth analysis, features and predictions from Fox Soccer Channel’s commentators including Sullivan, Barton and Bobby McMahon (Fox Soccer Report lead analyst), plus special guests. 

Both Passport to South Africa and Ticket to South Africa will be televised in high-definition, where available.

Throughout the first half of 2010, Fox Soccer Channel will televise a number of other programs building up to the biggest sporting event in Africa’s history, including The Contenders, The Greatest and International Rivalries, in addition to a series of vignettes entitled Road to Glory.

“With wall-to-wall coverage before, during and after soccer’s most important event, courtesy of the most well-informed team assembled, Fox Soccer Channel’s viewers will gain unprecedented insight as they gear up for the action in South Africa,” added McQuarrie.

And truTV will have a Super Bowl spot featuring Troy Polamalu.

Record-Setting truTV Joins Super Bowl Lineup

With Ad Featuring NFL Superstar Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers

truTV, which scored its best ratings year ever in 2009, will be part of the ad lineup for CBS’s broadcast of the Super Bowl. truTV’s first Super Bowl ad will feature one of the NFL’s most popular players, Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

truTV programming includes original series that focus on giving viewers access to places and situations they can’t normally experience. The network’s Super Bowl spot will highlight an addition to truTV’s lineup: NFL FULL CONTACT, a behind-the-scenes look at professional football that debuts Monday, Feb. 8, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), the day following the Super Bowl. The ad is scheduled to appear in the second quarter of the game, prior to the two-minute warning.

truTV was known as Court TV before being rebranded in 2008. In 2009, truTV enjoyed its most-watched primetime in the network’s 18-year history, as deliveries grew 29% among adults 18-34 and 11% among adults 18-49.

“Clearly, truTV has arrived and has enjoyed great success in attracting a new, younger audience,” said Marc Juris, executive vice president and general manager of truTV/In Session. “Having an ad in the Super Bowl gives the network the biggest possible platform to show viewers and the advertising community that truTV has emerged as a major player in television.”

truTV’s Super Bowl spot is being created by Grey, a renowned New York agency.  Grey’s recent Super Bowl work includes iconic spots for ETrade. truTV’s ad will focus on Polamalu, one of the NFL’s top safeties. Since the 2005 season, Polamalu has earned two Super Bowl rings. He was also chosen for five-straight Pro Bowls from 2005-2009.

And that concludes the press release posts for this morning.