Indianapolis, Aug. 15, 2006 -
The Indiana Pacers have completed a new long-term television deal in which Fox Sports Net (FSN) will be the exclusive television rights holder of Pacers basketball for the next several years.
“It’s great to be full time with FSN,” said Pacers Sports & Entertainment’s CEO and President Donnie Walsh. “We’ve been partners with them a long time and have a great relationship with them. I have a lot of respect for their organization and look forward to the continuation of our partnership.”
“The Pacers are one of the crown jewel teams in America, a highly competitive team in the NBA each year with terrific fan support,” said FSN Midwest General Manager and Vice President Jack Donovan. “FSN is extremely proud to be the exclusive home of Pacers basketball for many years, and to make a greater commitment to the sports fans of Indiana.”
Under the new agreement, FSN will televise 72 regular-season games and two preseason games beginning with the 2006-07 season. Additionally, FSN Midwest will have the opportunity to telecast select Pacers playoff games. FSN Midwest will continue to telecast a pre- and postgame show. All games will also be closed-captioned.
FSN Midwest has been a television partner since the 1996-97 season and broadcast 40 regular-season games and one preseason game during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.
In addition to the new broadcast agreement, FSN has pledged a $100,000 donation to Pacers Foundation, Inc. In the past, FSN has been a long-time supporter by donating $200,000 to Pacers Foundation, plus sponsoring the annual Pacers Foundation Golf Outing (this year’s event will be Sept. 26) and co-sponsoring with the Simon Youth Foundation the annual Masquerade charity event in October.
As part of its ongoing effort to bring more local programming to sports fans in Indiana, FSN will rebrand the network as FSN Indiana during local programming blocks. The initiative will include expanded Pacers pre- and postgame offerings. In addition to Pacers games, FSN Midwest will continue to telecast a minimum of four Indiana Fever games each year and additional sporting events in the region.
FSN Midwest, a regional sports television network, reaches more than 5.4 million cable and satellite television homes in six states. FSN Midwest telecasts more than 2,000 hours of local programming each year, including Pacers basketball, Fever basketball, Cincinnati Reds baseball, St. Louis Cardinals baseball, Kansas City Royals baseball, St. Louis Blues hockey, Kansas City Brigade Arena Football, Big 12 football, Big 12 women’s basketball, Missouri Valley Conference athletics, University of Missouri basketball, Kansas State University athletics, University of Nebraska basketball, local high school sports and much more. Nationally, FSN’s 20 regional sports channels reach more than 81 million homes and serve as the cable TV home to 64 of the 82 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States. FSN’s channels are the cable TV home to 21 of the 30 NBA teams.