ORLANDO – The NBA Orlando Magic and the Fox-owned and managed regional sports network Sun Sports (formerly known as Sunshine Network) today announced a new, long-term multi-year television rights agreement, beginning with the 2005-06 season, that extends the relationship begun in 1989. Sun Sports will continue as the exclusive regional cable/satellite distribution channel for the team.

The extension of the association provides Sun Sports with telecast rights to a minimum of 42 Orlando Magic regular season games plus select playoff games.

Under terms of the agreement, Sun Sports will continue providing season-long coverage of Orlando Magic basketball to viewers within the NBA-designated Orlando Magic television territory in Northern and Central Florida. This territory includes approximately 3.7 million homes out of the network’s statewide reach of 6.1 million cable and satellite homes.

In addition to game coverage, Sun Sports also provides the team and its fans with ancillary programming including Magic Tonight, the network’s live on-site pregame show and extensive live post-game coverage featuring player interviews and team press conferences. Sun Sports will also work with the team to distribute original programming produced by the network and jointly with the team. This year’s popular program “Under the Lights: Magic Makeover,“ a behind-the-scenes look at the team’s off-season rebuilding process, is an example of the potential programming partnerships that will continue to grow under the new agreement.

“This relationship is special to Sun Sports. In 1989, the television rights agreement with the Orlando Magic was Sunshine Network’s first-ever with a professional sports franchise,” said Cathy Weeden, Sun Sports vice president and general manager. “Fans have come to know Sunshine and now Sun Sports as the place to follow the Magic across Central and North Florida. Magic programming has become a cornerstone to our programming line-up and we are proud to continue this long-term, positive relationship.”

“Since day one Sunshine had been an integral part of our Magic family,” said Jack Swope, Orlando Magic VP Corporate Sales and Broadcasting. “This relationship has allowed us to bring comprehensive coverage of Magic basketball to our fans. We look forward to our continued partnership over the next several years.”

In addition to the Magic deal on Sun Sports, Fox-owned regional sports networks have become the exclusive cable/satellite television home for a continuing number of NBA, NHL and MLB teams. In the past 18 months, the Fox-owned regional channels have either added, renewed, extended contracts or significantly increased its coverage of 17 teams in total. In addition to the Magic, the other teams include the Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, St Louis Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB); Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat and Seattle SuperSonics (NBA); and Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators (NHL).

Launched in 1988 as Sunshine Network with 1.5 million subscribers, Sun Sports is now available in more than 6.1 million cable and satellite homes statewide. In addition to game telecasts from Florida’s professional and collegiate teams, including the NBA Orlando Magic and Miami HEAT, the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida State University, the University of Florida, the ACC and SEC, the network also produces its original programming from studios at Universal Studios Florida, all focusing on sports from Florida and the region. Sun Sports is available via cable and satellite in Florida, nationwide via satellite, and much of its local/regional programming is available to digital cable subscribers outside Florida via Fox College Sports. For more information on the network, visit www.sunsportstv.com.