DIRECT Satellite

MexicoTV is the only network to bring Mexico’s Liga de Ascenso to the Mexican soccer audiences in the U.S. Mexico TV is available on DirecTV Mas programming package and also on Comcast, Time Warner Cable.

Necaxa is the team with a reputation in Mexico, fighting for a comeback longed for by its many thousands of fans, but also the teams blocking its way who are also determined to get there first, at all cost, come what may.

Like Veracruz, in years past the First Division pace-setter, famed for the passion and loyalty of its fans, which has hired a player who is now without question Mexico’s hottest soccer icon: Cuauhtemoc Blanco. He is hated by a heavy majority of Mexican fandom when he plays for the Club America team, or any other rival – but when he plays for Mexico’s national team, that hate turns into boundless love.

Another team committed to winning is Irapuato, current leader of the 2010 League, tied with Necaxa and separated only by a difference of goals scored. These teams have been battling each other in one of the most exciting finals in the League’s recent history, going to the terminal stage of penalty kicks to decide who will come out the winner.

Necaxa, Veracruz, Irapuato, Leon, Orizaba, Pumas Morelos, Tijuana, Correcaminos, Durango and Atlante UTN are the most popular teams to paly for Mexico’s 2010 Liga de Ascenso.

DirecTV has announced that it has signed a deal with HDNet to offer HDNet and HDNet Movies programming video on demand to DirecTV subscribers.

DirecTV agreement with HDNet allows its subscribers to access HDNet’s great, original programming, much of which will be available within 24 hours of its network premiere.

DirecTV will deliver more than 20 hours of high-definition programming from HDNet, and more than 25 movies from HDNet Movies, on a video on demand basis every month.

Mark Cuban, chairman and co-founder of HDNet, said: “HDNet is excited to partner DIRECTV on their VOD offering. Now, HD subscribers will have access to HDNet’s critically acclaimed movies, in-depth news, provocative originals and exciting MMA coverage not only on our linear channels but also on a video on demand basis.”

Dan Hartman, senior vice president of Programming for DIRECTV, said: “HDNet has been a part of the DIRECTV platform since its debut in 2001 and we are excited to continue to grow our relationship with the launch of its new on demand service. HDNet’s line up of unique movies and sports programming is a perfect addition to the DIRECTV On Demand platform, which offers more than 5,000 titles for customers to choose from.”

NFL Network has announced that it will launch the new ‘NFL RedZone channel’ for 2009-10 season on Sep. 13. The NFL RedZone channel will bring fans every touchdown of every game on Sunday afternoons.

NFL RedZone channel is produced by NFL Network, whips around every NFL game on Sunday afternoons delivering the touchdowns and most exciting moments live and in high definition. When a team goes inside the 20-yard line, fans see the crucial plays as they happen. The channel keeps fans up-to-date in real time, switching from game to game with live look-ins, highlights and a chance to see every important play.

NFL Network President and CEO Steve Bornstein, said: “NFL RedZone is one of the most exciting new products for football fans since the invention of instant replay. We are currently in discussions with distributors so fans will be able to watch this new channel on Sunday afternoons.”

NFL Network’s NFL RedZone channel will be a different channel than DirecTV’s Red Zone Channel, which is part of DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket package.

Scott Hanson is the host of NFL RedZone moving from NFL Network’s NFL GameDay Morning on Sundays to the new state-of-the-art NFL RedZone studio currently being constructed at NFL Network headquarters in Los Angeles.

NFL RedZone will be made available on Comcast, Dish Network, Verizon FIOS, AT&T U-Verse, Bresnan Communications, Blue Ridge Communications, Dakota Central Communications and MidTel CableTV are scheduled to debut on the first Sunday of the 2009 NFL regular season Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

DirecTV and ESPN will organize ‘DIRECTV ESPN US Open Experience’ at New York City’s Bryant Park on Aug. 26. This is a free tennis exhibition and USTA clinic featuring some of the biggest names in the sport that will be open to the public.

The New York City’s Bryant Park green lawns will be transformed into two regulation US Open tennis courts from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for exhibition matches between USTA pros, including Venus and Serena Williams; former pros – turned TV commentators the Jensen brothers; the World’s current No. 1 Men’s doubles team the Bryan brothers and James Blake.

‘DIRECTV ESPN US Open Experience’ will showcase ESPN2’s coverage of the 2009 US Open and DirecTV’s US OPEN Experience, a free, interactive service that will offer expanded coverage of the action from Flushing Meadows. DIRECTV’s US OPEN Experience includes more than 435 hours of live tennis action, up to 140 extra matches that cannot be seen anywhere else, with five extra court channels in addition to the main ESPN2 feed – all displayed on DIRECTV’s innovative six-on-one-screen Mix Channel, and presented in HD.

DirecTV is to present interactive golf coverage of 2009 U.S. Open Championship in high-definition available all four days through June 18-21 from Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y. DirecTV is to offer three extra channels in addition to ESPN’s coverage on Thursday and Friday and NBC Sports’ broadcast on Saturday and Sunday.

Eric Shanks, executive vice president, Entertainment for DIRECTV said “The U.S. Open Experience provides the most in-depth TV coverage for DIRECTV customers and golf fans, we are happy to be back again working with ESPN and NBC Sports to add a new dimension to the entire championship.

2009 NFL SUNDAY TICKET to broadcast 14 games each Sunday and delivers your favorite teams no matter where you are. This is more than 200 games in 2009 NFL season. DIRECTV NFL SUNDAY TICKET 2009 interactive receiver gives you real-time scores and live updates from other games.

NFL SUNDAY TICKET 2009 Features Include :

Enhanced Games – Provides NFL Scores, Game Stats, Player Stats, Standings and Trivia.

NFL Sunday Snap - Delivers the latest in the League and also real time stats.

Bright House Networks has added two new high-definition channels in Tampa, Florida on 24th September. Bright House has added FX HD and Lifetime Movies HD in its high-definition programming line-up. Subscribers can watch “Nip/Tuck” an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning medical drama series created by Ryan Murphy and “Rescue Me” on FX-HD. Bright House has added Lifetime Movies HD, which the leading satellite TV provider DirecTV has not added till date.

DirecTV has announced the launch of local high-definition programming to customers in the Mobile, Ala.-Pensacola, Fla. DirecTV started offering WEAR/ABC, WKRG/CBS, WALA/FOX and WPMI/NBC networks from Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008. DirecTV by launching HD broadcast in Mobile and Pensacola is now offering local HD broadcast channels in 91 cities.

DirecTV subscribers with H20 or H21 HD receiver or an HR20 or HR21 DIRECTV Plus HD DVR and a Ka/Ku band dish will receive DIRECTV’s local HD programming. DirecTV will also add 30 more HD local channel markets by the end of 2008. The satcaster is leader in providing national HD channels as they offer 130 HD channels.

NBC Universal (NBCU) has selected Ensequence and DISH Network to transform NBCU’s coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games into a fully interactive experience. NBCU has chosen Ensequence to provide a separate interactive application on DishHOME on DISH Network Channel-100. NBCU’s 2008 Beijing Olympic Games experience wraps interactivity around live programming on DISH Network.

DISH Network will offer NBCU’s 2008 Beijing Olympic Games coverage through its Interactive TV mosaic, a multiple-screen showcase, available to more than 12 million iTV-enabled DISH Network subscribers from August 8 – August 24, 2008. The iTV mosaic will broadcast from six NBCU channels: CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, USA Network and two Olympic highlight channels. DISH Network subscribers can watch all six screens simultaneously or select one channel to watch in full-screen.

NBCU and Ensequence are teaming up for the second time to deliver interactive television to viewers. DISH Network viewers are able to use their remote control to instantly access athlete profiles, learn more about Beijing and the event venues, learn more about featured sponsors, read late-breaking news, see the team USA Report, track each country’s medal counts and view video highlights of the day’s events.

“NBC Universal and DISH Network continue to set the pace for the entire industry with interactive television and we’re excited to be partnering with them to create and deliver the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games interactive television experience,” said Dalen Harrison, Ensequence CEO. “The world’s most innovative programmers such as NBC Universal are realizing that interactive television delivers the engagement and accountability of the internet, giving them the best of both worlds.”

Championship Gaming Series, a Video Game league launched last year by a joint venture among BSkyB, DIRECTV and STAR, headquartered in Los Angeles, CA has announced that the Birmingham Salvo defeated San Francisco Optx 22-15 to become 2008 World Final champion and to win US$500,000 and the coveted Mountain Dew World Champion trophy. The championship final match was broadcasted to more than 450 million viewers worldwide.

The 2008 World Final prize money breaks down as follows :

1st Place

Birmingham Salvo – - $500,000

2nd Place

San Francisco Optx – - $150,000

3rd – 4th Place

Carolina Core, Berlin Allianz – - $70,000 per team

5th – 8th Place

Dallas Venom, Mexico City Furia,

Sydney Underground, Wuhan Dragon — $30,000 per team

Finals MVP

Dean “Picaso” Sutton and David “Daveyskills” Kelly – - $25,000

Michael O’Dell, General Manager for Birmingham Salvo said “I’m extremely proud of my team right now, They truly deserve the title of World Champions. We faced a lot of tough competition throughout the season, but when our backs were against the wall, every player demonstrated the skills and the poise to step up when it mattered the most. My players spent hundreds of hours practicing this season, and their hard work paid off tonight.”