Text of FSN's announcement of College Hockey Breakaway Weekend which is being made now:
COLLEGE HOCKEY BREAKAWAY WEEKEND
PROVIDES UNPRECEDENTED CONFERENCE TOURNEY COVERAGE
League Championships Converge March 18-19
Across FSN Regional Networks and Other Affiliates
Unprecedented comprehensive coverage of multiple NCAA Division I
collegiate hockey conference tournaments is planned for March 18-19 on FSN
regional networks, DirecTV, Fox College Sports and additional affiliates.
Branded as COLLEGE HOCKEY BREAKAWAY WEEKEND, the coverage consists of
live semifinal and championship game telecasts from the CCHA and WCHA
tournaments, plus continuous in-game updates from other leagues'
post-season events. The weekend's action determines which schools in
various regions break away from the pack to earn bids into the NCAA
Tournament.
The live games on COLLEGE HOCKEY
BREAKAWAY WEEKEND originate from Detroit's
Joe Louis Arena, site of the CCHA Super Six; and
the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, host facility of
the WCHA Final Five. Start times among the two
tournaments are staggered to allow for wraparound
coverage of all semifinal and championship games.
Before, during and after games, the studio-based Tournament Desk
provides highlights and updates from games in progress at the other
conference tournaments taking place that weekend, including Hockey East,
ECAC Hockey League and the Atlantic Hockey Association.
COLLEGE HOCKEY BREAKAWAY WEEKEND is a collaborate effort between FSN
Detroit (originator of CCHA games), FSN North (WCHA games) and FSN Rocky
Mountain (Tournament Desk). Those three regional networks are scheduled
to air both days' coverage in its entirety. FSN Detroit viewers will see
CCHA games from start to finish; when those games are not in progress,
they will see the beginning or conclusion of WCHA contests. The opposite
will hold true for viewers of FSN North and FSN Rocky Mountain, who will
receive WCHA tournament games in their entirety, supplemented by CCHA
coverage.
Other FSN regional networks confirmed to carry portions of the two-day
coverage include: FSN Chicago, FSN Ohio, FSN New England and FSN New York.
More regional networks may be added in the near future. Based on current
confirmations, COLLEGE HOCKEY BREAKAWAY WEEKEND will go to approximately
30 million households served by the participating regional sports
networks.
Additionally, COLLEGE HOCKEY BREAKAWAY WEEKEND is available nationally
to DirecTV Sports Pack subscribers and to subscribers of Fox College
Sports, which will program all of the CCHA and WCHA games between its
Atlantic and Central feeds, respectively.
Also joining the COLLEGE HOCKEY BREAKAWAY WEEKEND network is Leafs TV
(Ontario, Canada) and KFXF-TV (FOX Broadcasting affiliate in Fairbanks,
Alaska).
Quotes:
Tom Anastos, Commissioner - CCHA: "We are very excited about this
opportunity to work in concert with the WCHA to expand FSN's outstanding
coverage of our championship tournaments to a national audience. Fans
throughout the country will be treated to relentless college hockey
championship action."
Bruce M. McLeod, Commissioner - WCHA: "College hockey has really taken
off in recent years, both in national popularity and in television
exposure. College Hockey Breakaway Weekend on FSN will further enhance
that growth and continue to show sports fans everywhere what we've known
for a long time - that college hockey is a truly sensational sport."
Greg Hammaren, Vice President/General Manager - FSN Detroit: "FSN's
Breakaway Weekend will be a thrill for college hockey fans everywhere."
Our hope is that this takes hold among fans and becomes one of the premier
events on the college hockey calendar."
Mike Dimond, Vice President/General Manager - FSN North: "This is a
great opportunity to showcase college hockey. It also demonstrates the
strength of our FSN regional networks in bringing our assets together."
Tim Griggs, Vice President/General Manager - FSN Rocky Mountain: "I
believe college hockey fans around the country will enjoy the extensive
coverage FSN will bring to these two marquee conferences. With three FSN
regional networks joining forces on game coverage and the Tournament Desk,
College Hockey Breakaway Weekend will undoubtedly provide fans the most
comprehensive coverage ever of Division I conference tournament play."
Telecast Schedule:
Following are master schedules of COLLEGE HOCKEY BREAKAWAY WEEKEND
coverage in the CCHA and WCHA regions. Please note: all times listed are
Eastern:
CCHA Regions:
Friday, March 18
3:00 PM - Tournament Desk
3:30 PM - WCHA Semifinal #1
(Leave in Progress)
4:30 PM - CCHA Semifinal #1
7:30 PM - Tournament Desk
8:00 PM - CCHA Semifinal #2
10:30 PM - WCHA Semifinal #2
(Joined in Progress)
Coverage until conclusion at approximately
11:00 PM ET
Saturday, March 19
7:00 PM - Tournament Desk
7:30 PM - CCHA Championship Game
10:00 PM - WCHA Championship Game
(Joined in Progress)
Coverage until conclusion at approximately
11:00 PM ET
WCHA Regions:
Friday, March 18
3:00 PM - Tournament Desk
3:30 PM - WCHA Semifinal #1
6:00 PM - CCHA Semifinal #1
(Joined in Progress)
7:30 PM - Tournament Desk
8:00 PM - CCHA Semifinal #2
(Leave in Progress)
8:30 PM - WCHA Semifinal #2
Coverage until conclusion at approximately.
11:00 PM ET
Saturday, March 19
7:00 PM - Tournament Desk
7:30 PM - CCHA Championship Game
(Leave in Progress)
8:30 PM - WCHA Championship Game
Coverage until conclusion at approximately
11:00 PM ET
Announcers:
CCHA games: Ken Daniels, Fred Pletsch, Shireen Saski WCHA
games: Frank Mazzocco, Doug Woog, Clay Matvick, Mike Greenlay
Tournament Desk: Dan Kelly, Marc Soicher, Mickey York
FSN reaches more than 81 million homes through its network of 20
regional sports channels. FSN, based in Los Angeles, serves as the cable
TV home to 62 of the 82 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States,
and produces over 4,600 live events each year. In addition to home team
games, FSN telecasts a wide variety of national sports events and
programming, including Best Damn Sports Show Period and Beyond the Glory.
For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit the FOX
Sports/FSN website at www.FoxSports.com.
Fox College Sports (FCS) consists of three channels stocked with select
collegiate programming culled from FSN regional sports networks and its
affiliates. FCS features men's and women's competitions across a broad
range of NCAA-sanctioned sports highlighted by perennial powers from the
ACC, Big 12, Pac 10, SEC, as well as other top conferences. The three
networks will combine to telecast more than 800 live NCAA events over the
course of a year. Fox provides all three channels: FCS Pacific, FCS
Central and FCS Atlantic throughout the country. Each Fox College Sports
viewer also continues to receive their own local professional and college
sports programming courtesy of their Fox Sports Net or affiliated regional
sports network. Based on current distribution agreements, FCS is available
to approximately 40 million digital homes on 2,200 systems, and is seen by
viewers in the nation's 25 largest cities, including New York, Los Angeles
and Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas and Atlanta, Houston, Seattle,
Minneapolis and Tampa. Key MSO partners include Comcast Corp., Time Warner
Cable, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, Adelphia
Communications, Mediacom Communications, Insight Communications and
CableOne and the National Cable Television Cooperative. The most
up-to-date telecast schedule is available 24/7 by logging on to
www.foxcollegesports.com.
- FSN -
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