FOX SPORTS 1 TO AIR INAUGURAL USA RUGBY VS. NEW ZEALAND MAORI ALL BLACKS "BLACK AND BLUE MATCH"
BOULDER, Colo. - USA Rugby is proud to announce a broadcasting partnership with FOX Sports for the upcoming Men's Eagles match against the New Zealand Maori All Blacks Nov. 9 at PPL Park in Philadelphia.
The inaugural Black and Blue Match, presented by USA Rugby and New Zealand Rugby Union sponsor AIG, will kick off at 7:00 P.M. ET on Saturday, Nov. 9, with the broadcast to be aired on FOX Sports 1 Sunday, Nov. 10 at noon ET.
"USA Rugby is very excited about FOX Sports 1 airing the match from Philadelphia," USA Rugby Chief Commercial Officer Jon Persch said. "FOX Sports 1offers USA Rugby the greatest number of viewers with the new channel being offered in 90 million homes. On top of that, FOX Sports has had a monumental impact covering the world's most elite sporting events and we are thrilled to share this marquee matchup with FOX Sports."
FOX Sports 1, the new national 24-hour multi-sport channel, launched Aug. 17 in more than 90 million homes across the U.S., marking the largest sports network launch in television history. With nearly 5,000 hours of live event, news and original programming annually, USA Rugby joins a broadcast lineup that includes college football and basketball, MLB, NASCAR, NFL, soccer, boxing and UFC.
"This partnership with USA Rugby offers FOX Sports 1 the unique opportunity to be the U.S. television home for a very exciting inaugural event in the international rugby community," said Michael Mulvihill, FOX Sports SVP of Programming & Research. "The Black and Blue Match showcases one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, bringing world-class rugby to the U.S. and - along with international soccer and UFC - continues to establish FOX Sports 1 as a destination for next-generation, rapidly evolving sports."
In addition to the premiere airing on FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports is making the match available LIVE on FOX Soccer Plus (http://www.foxsoccerplus.com/) and FOXSoccer2GO (http://www.foxsoccer2go.com/).
The New Zealand Maori All Blacks are returning to American soil for the first time since the 2006 Churchill Cup. Canada will host the Maori All Blacks at BMO Field Nov. 3.
About USA Rugby
Established in 1975, USA Rugby is the governing body for the sport of rugby in America and a Full Sport Member of the United States Olympic Committee. Currently headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, USA Rugby is charged with developing the game on all levels and has over 115,000 active members. USA Rugby oversees four national teams, multiple collegiate and high school All-American sides, and an emerging Olympic development pathway for elite athletes. It also hosts over 30 national playoff and championship events every year as a service to its members. In October 2009, the International Olympic Committee announced that Rugby Sevens (the seven-a-side version of the game) will appear in the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro. Visit www.usarugby.org for more information.
About FOX Sports
FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX's wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FOX Sports 1; FOX Sports 2; Fox's 22 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Soccer 2Go; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com on MSN, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com, Scout.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are FOX's interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network, BTN 2Go and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.
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