FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2007


Sun Sports, FHSAA extend partnership; all 8 state championship football games to be televised live

GAINESVILLE – Sun Sports and the Florida High School Athletic Association today jointly announced a new long-term agreement continuing their partnership, which makes the Fox-owned and managed statewide regional sports network the exclusive statewide home of FHSAA Finals state championship events.

As part of the agreement, and for the first time in history, Sun Sports and the FHSAA also announced that all eight games in the 2007 Dodge FHSAA Football Finals will be produced and televised live to a statewide audience on either Sun Sports or FSN Florida.

"We are pleased to continue our partnership with Sun Sports and FSN Florida," said FHSAA Executive Director and Commissioner John A. Stewart.  "Thanks to their commitment to high school sports, the teams and student-athletes who represent member schools in FHSAA state championship matches, games and meets will have the opportunity to be seen by television viewers in millions of homes statewide.”

Added Stewart: “It is equally exciting and appropriate that in the 100th year of high school football in this state all eight of our state championship football games will be televised live for the first-time ever.”

“The FHSAA Championships are a vital component of our year-round regional and local sports programming lineup,” said Cathy Weeden, Senior VP/GM of Sun Sports & FSN Florida. “Fans of high school sports in the state of Florida are passionate about their hometown teams and very supportive of their prep athletes.  We believe showcasing Florida’s outstanding young student-athletes provides our viewers with a look at these rising young stars and gives the athletes a much-deserved platform for statewide exposure.   We look forward to bringing the thrill and excellence of local high school events to Florida viewers for years to come.”

Sun Sports has been the home of the FHSAA Finals in football, basketball and girls volleyball for the last seven years.  Sun Sports is granted television rights to all championship games in the Dodge FHSAA Football Finals, FHSAA Girls Basketball Finals and FHSAA Boys Basketball Finals, as well as FHSAA Finals events in other sports.
While FHSAA Finals events have aired live and/or on tape delay in the past on Sun Sports, the network is planning to provide increased live coverage of select FHSAA championship games where feasible.

With its Emmy Award-winning productions and under the direction of Sun Sports/FSN Florida executive producer Ned Tate, Sun Sports devotes extensive sports production resources to the games/events it televises and its coverage of the Dodge FHSAA Football Finals in December will be no exception with resources comparable to college football game productions.   In addition, Sun Sports will provide marketing support for all the FHSAA Finals via on-air promotions, website and print advertising.

Sun Sports will also continue to provide statewide exposure for the “Dodge High School Sports Report,” a one-hour monthly magazine show produced on behalf of the FHSAA.

Two years ago, Sun Sports and the FHSAA offered live coverage of two high school championship football games, marking the first live television broadcast of a Florida high school football championship game since 1984.  This past season, both the 5A and 4A Dodge FHSAA Football Finals were televised live throughout the state – one on Sun Sports and one on FSN Florida. A record crowd of over 59,000 fans came to Miami during the two weekends of action, including over 24,000 for the 6A Dodge FHSAA Football Finals - which set an all-time single-game attendance record for a championship game.Youth Sports Marketing LLC of Jacksonville, FL represented the FHSAA in the contract negotiations.

About Sun Sports & FSN Florida
Providing the very best in regional/local sports television programming targeted to fans across the Sunshine state, Florida's two leading regional sports networks, Sun Sports and FSN Florida, are both owned and managed by Fox Sports Networks.  Sun Sports, available in over 6.3 million Florida cable and satellite homes, carries games and events featuring the NBA's Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida State University, the University of Florida, the SEC conference, along with studio-based regional programming such as Chevy Tailgate Weekend, Chevy Florida Fishing Report, In My Own Words, the Under the Lights all-access series, and more.  FSN Florida is available in over 5.2 million Florida cable and satellite homes and its exclusive regional programming includes MLB's Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the NBA’s Orlando Magic, the NHL's Florida Panthers, year-round coverage of ACC athletics including men’s basketball and numerous FSU and UM games/events, and FSN national programming including Big 12 and Pac-10 athletics, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, Sport Science, The FSN Final Score, In Focus, and more.

About the FHSAA
The Florida High School Athletic Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletic competition in Florida. It has a membership of more than 750 middle, junior and senior high schools.

Contact:
Robert Hernberger
Director of Media Relations, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 190
rhernberger@fhsaa.org