(West Palm Beach, FL – March 14, 2002) – Paxson Communications Corporation (AMEX-PAX) announced today that its local PAX TV station, WPXM TV-35 in Miami will broadcast 54 Florida Marlins games during the 2002 Major League Baseball season, under an agreement with Univision of Miami, Inc., and Fox Sports Net Florida, the exclusive television rights holder for Marlins baseball.
The games were previously scheduled to air on Univision-owned WAMI-69 in Miami, before Fox Sports Net Florida agreed to move its 54-game broadcast package to WPXM.
Under the terms of the exclusive broadcast agreement, the Florida Marlins broadcast schedule on PAX will kick off on Friday, April 5 at 3:00pm when the Marlins take on the Phillies in Philadelphia. Fox Sports Net Florida will kick off its 96-game regular season Marlins schedule on Tuesday, April 2 at 6:30pm in Montreal.
Dean Goodman, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said, "This Major League Baseball deal for PAX underscores our commitment to offering the community an increased level of entertaining family programming. The Florida Marlins are a proven ratings winner and we're delighted to be working with Fox Sports Net to promote the team on our station."
"We're excited to begin our sixth season of Marlins baseball on Fox Sports Net, and we're glad to have PAX TV join the Marlins television family," said Jeff Genthner, senior vice president and general manager, Fox Sports Net Florida. "We believe this young Marlins team shows the promise of an incredibly bright future, and we're eager to air the first pitch of the season."
All 150 televised Marlins games will be produced by Fox Sports Net Florida with new Marlins play-by-play voice Len Kasper and veteran color analyst Tommy Hutton calling the action.
About Paxson Communications Corporation
Paxson Communications Corporation owns and operates the nation's largest broadcast television station group and PAX TV, the family friendly broadcast television network that launched in August of 1998. PAX TV reaches 85% of U.S. television households via nationwide broadcast television, cable and satellite distribution systems. Paxson owns and operates 65 stations (including three stations operated under time brokerage agreements). PAX airs its own original programming including "It's A Miracle," "Mysterious Ways," "Encounters with the Unexplained" and "Doc," starring recording artist Billy Ray Cyrus. PAX TV's new season lineup includes the original series "The Ponderosa," "Ed McMahon's Next Big Star" and "Candid Camera." For more information, visit PAX TV's website at www.pax.tv.
About Fox Sports Net Florida
Fox Sports Net Florida reaches more than 3.9 million households in Florida. Fox Sports Net Florida is managed by Rainbow Sports Networks, a division of Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. Fox Sports Net Florida's programming includes Major League Baseball's Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays; the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers; the University of Miami, and the University of South Florida, along with select NASCAR and PGA Tour coverage.
Fox Sports Net reaches more than 78 million households nationwide and is a service of National Sports Partners, equally owned by Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and Fox. Rainbow Sports Networks incorporates Rainbow's 50% ownership of Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports National Advertising, and the ownership and management of Fox Sports Net regional networks in five of the nation's largest markets: Chicago, Florida, Ohio, New England and San Francisco.