WPS Comcast Sports Plan Partnership on Live Four-Game Regional Package

First Game Scheduled for Broadcast June 7 between Chicago and FC Gold Pride

SAN FRANCISCO, CA & PHILADELPHIA, PA (June 5, 2009)—Women’s Professional Soccer and Comcast Sports Group announced today, plans for a live four-game regional television package with selected Comcast Sports Group networks for the second half of the WPS season, starting with the June 7 matchup between FC Gold Pride and Chicago Red Stars.

The four Comcast Sports Group games combined with the 20 “WPS Sunday on Fox Soccer Channel” national television games and four other regional telecasts brings the total WPS games available on television to 28 of 70 regular season games.

Coverage features teams in Comcast Sports Group markets including Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Chicago and Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic.  Additional live or tape-delayed coverage will also air on Comcast Sports Group channels in areas including Philadelphia, Portland, OR, and Sacramento.

“We are excited at the prospect of adding Comcast Sports Group as a regional television partner of WPS for the second half of our season,” said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci. “Comcast Sports Group is a fantastic platform for our fans to catch more WPS action.”

Beyond game day coverage of the four regional games, Comcast Sports Group networks will also feature re-airs of the games, interviews with WPS coaches and players on news and analysis programming, tune-in promotions during other sports programming and online video content on digital platforms. For times and re-airs, check local listings at comcastsportsnet.com.

Live WPS Games Scheduled on Comcast Sports Group Networks
    
    Sunday, June 7     FC Gold Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars        8 pm EST*
    Wednesday, June 24    Boston Breakers vs. Washington Freedom    7pm EST
    Sunday, July 12    Chicago Red Stars vs. FC Gold Pride        8pm EST
    Wednesday, July 29    Washington Freedom vs. Boston Breakers    8pm EST

* Game to air live in Chicago and on tape delay in San Francisco

About Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)

The mission of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is to be the premier women’s soccer league in the world and the global standard by which women’s professional sports are measured.  The Inaugural Season kicked off on March 29, and runs through August 22, 2009, with WPS teams based in the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. 

The league’s eighth franchise, Philadelphia, will begin play next season with Atlanta expected to join as the ninth team in 2010, as well. For more information, visit www.womensprosoccer.com.

About Comcast Sports Group

Comcast Sports Group operates 10 sports networks that deliver 2,400 sporting events annually and sports news and analysis to 40 million cable and satellite homes. 

Comcast Sports Group’s networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, SNY, The Mtn.—Mountain West Sports Network, and CSS. 

Comcast Sports Group also manages The Comcast Network, based in Philadelphia and Washington, which delivers community-oriented programming.  For more information, see ComcastSportsNet.com.

The previous story is excerpted from a press release from the Women's Professional Soccer League and is reprinted at the request of the league in accordance with their relationship with The Bleacher Report. What's News is the alternate profile of free-lance writer Todd Civin who writes feature stories for Bleacher Report under his own name. He can be reached at [e-mail] for hire or comments.

Photo Credit: Robert Mora | isiphotos.com