Fox Soccer Plus Gears Up for March 1 Debut

NEW YORK: Ahead of its March 1 debut, the new premium sports service Fox Soccer Plus has announced a raft of acquisitions of key soccer and rugby competitions.

With the previously announced coverage of Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League and Italy’s Serie A, the new channel, a complement to the basic cable Fox Soccer Channel, is set to deliver almost 600 exclusive events per year. The slate includes exclusive matches from the FA Cup, England Internationals and the Carling Cup, as well as action from the Coca-Cola Championship. Fox Soccer Plus will also showcase a selection of live and exclusive England Men’s National Team matches annually. The rugby lineup includes England’s Guinness Premiership, the European Heineken Cup and Magners League.

“With these programming acquisitions, Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus become the definitive destinations for the world’s most popular sports,” said David Nathanson, the executive VP and general manager of Fox Soccer Channel. “Fox Soccer Plus presents us with a unique opportunity to expand on Fox Soccer Channel’s core mission, providing U.S. viewers with the best sports competitions worldwide and adds rugby to our impressive lineup of soccer offerings."