DETROIT, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The Detroit Tigers senior vice president of business operations Duane McLean announced today that TV20 (WDWB) and Fox Sports Net (FSN) Detroit will air the Detroit Tigers opening day game against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park on Mon., April 10. The game will be broadcast on FSN Detroit and simulcast on TV20, beginning at 12:30 p.m. EDT.
Working with the Tigers, FSN also has acquired the rights to 15 additional Tigers games this season -- starting in June -- that will be televised on TV20 and a to-be-determined network of over-the-air stations throughout the state. Mario Impemba and Rod Allen will be announcing all the televised games for FSN Detroit and TV20 -- a total of 127 games in 2006. A revised Tigers television schedule will be determined soon.
"We're pleased to reach this agreement with FSN Detroit and TV20, and provide fans and communities with over-the-air Major League Baseball in 2006," said McLean. "We worked diligently for several months to reach an agreement that is good for our fans, good for our broadcast partners and good for the Detroit Tigers. Broadcast negotiations are often complex and thanks to terrific efforts by both FSN Detroit and TV20, we've got a good agreement and there are now more opportunities for fans to follow the Tigers throughout the season -- and just in time for Opening Day!"
"I'm thrilled that together, we're able to give our entire community the opportunity to watch the pageantry of Opening Day in Detroit," said Greg Hammaren, vice president/general manager, FSN Detroit. "FSN Detroit, TV20 and the Tigers all worked as a team to produce and deliver additional games this season for fans to enjoy."
"We are proud to be part of the collaboration that delivers a home run for Detroit's baseball fans," said Sarah Norat-Phillips, president/general manager, TV20 Detroit. "I especially credit Greg Hammaren for his energy behind the agreement and thank the Detroit Tigers for their ongoing efforts to reach an agreement."
The Detroit Tigers are a member of the Ilitch Holdings' family of businesses. In addition to the Tigers, Ilitch Holdings' primary business interests include -- Little Caesars Pizza, the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment, Olympia Development, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, Champion Foods, MotorCity Casino, Uptown Entertainment, Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program, and a variety of venues within these entities. The holding company's 2005 total combined revenues exceeded $1.5 billion.
FSN Detroit provides local and national sports programming to 3.2 million cable and satellite subscribers throughout Michigan and portions of Northwest Ohio and Northern Indiana. In addition to live Tigers games, FSN Detroit produces the following Tigers programming: Season Preview Special, Tigers Pregame, the Emmy-winning Tigers Weekly, Tigers Year in Review, nightly coverage on the Detroit Sports Report; and, FSN's profile series Spotlight will have episodes featuring Tigers personalities during the course of the season. FSN Detroit also is the regional rights holder to the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Pistons, Central Collegiate Hockey Association and selected championship events of the Michigan High School Activities Association.
Granite Broadcasting Corporation (BULLETIN BOARD: GBTVK) owns and operates, or provides programming, sales and other services to 13 television stations in the following 8 markets: San Francisco, California, Detroit, Michigan, Buffalo, New York, Fresno, California, Syracuse, New York, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Peoria, Illinois, and Duluth, Minnesota-Superior, Wisconsin. The Company's television station group includes affiliates of the NBC, CBS, ABC, WB and UPN networks, and reaches approximately 6% of all U.S. television households.
