ENTERTAINMENT/SPORTS : View Posts

ABU DHABI, UAE, July 31, 2022 /CNW/ — Abu Dhabi Media (ADM), UAE’s leading public service broadcaster and media company, and STARZPLAY, MENA region’s fastest growing SVOD service, have secured exclusive rights to stream premium Italian League (“Serie A”), “Coppa Italia” (Italy Cup), and “Supercoppa Italiana” (Italian Super Cup), for next three seasons beginning this year.

The Italian Football Federation granted rights after a competitive bid by ADM and STARZPLAY to win rights to broadcast the European league to offer football fans best quality viewing at highest broadcasting standards.

STARZPLAY’s reach of over 2.1 million regional subscribers will offer “Serie A” clubs’ maximum visibility to grow the brand across a population of 400 million people. The deal is an example of a successful partnership between ADM and STARZPLAY.

Haitham Al Kathiri, Acting Executive Director, Abu Dhabi TV Network, said: “AD Sports’ acquisition of the exclusive broadcast rights to Italian League (Serie A), Italy Cup (Coppa Italia) and Italian Super Cup (Supercoppa Italiana) confirms our leading position, and highlights our technical expertise and media portfolio. We look forward to broadcasting the competitions in partnership with STARZPLAY, which is enjoyed by millions of football fans around the world.”

Danny Bates, Chief Commercial Officer, STARZPLAY, said: “Sports in the OTT space is a huge focus for us, and we have been investing in the live sports category over the last year with our platform witnessing an impressive subscription growth. As part of our long-term strategy, we are building this content category into one of our core products, offering the best in sports entertainment to subscribers across the region. With our stellar technical and customer support, STARZPLAY today is undoubtedly the best positioned platform to seize this incredible opportunity.”

“Serie A” will be core to STARZPLAY’s sport offering which will encompass other premium international and regional assets-AFC, UFC, Abu Dhabi Sport channels and FIFA events like the recent FIFA Club World Cup hosted in Abu Dhabi.

To watch Italian League, sports fans can subscribe to the Sports Pack on STARZPLAY.com. Subscription to the Sports Pack will also entitle subscribers to access various other exciting sports and competitions.

Contact

Srishti Soni
srishti.soni@bcw-global.com

SOURCE STARZPLAY

DEERFIELD, Ill., – Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) today announced a multi-year sponsorship with Major League Soccer (MLS), the fastest growing sports League in North America. With the highest percentage of millennial and multicultural fans of any U.S. sport, the sponsorship is designed to amplify the Caterpillar brand to a broader, more diverse audience in the United States and Canada and to engage with the League’s passionate fans more deeply.

“Caterpillar is eager to partner with Major League Soccer, as we share a joint commitment to being leaders in the communities where we live, work and play,” said Yvette Morrison, global director of marketing and brand for Caterpillar. “We celebrate the people who do the work every day and are constantly looking for new ways to engage with our next generation of employees, customers and their families. This sponsorship provides a perfect opportunity for us to introduce Cat to a broader audience.”

“Caterpillar is a leading, global brand and Major League Soccer is honored to partner with a company whose values and dealer network are committed to building a better, more modern future for soccer communities across the world,” said Carter Ladd, Executive Vice President of Brand Alliances & Consumer Products at MLS. “Together, MLS and Caterpillar will engage long-standing customers and the most diverse fanbase in all of sports to positively impact the sport of soccer in the U.S. and Canada.”

MLS features the youngest and most diverse player pool of any of North American professional sports league with players from more than 82 countries. The sponsorship of MLS supports Caterpillar’s efforts to evolve the brand, and ensure the company is representative of the many employees and customers it serves.

As a part of the sponsorship, MLS will collaborate with Caterpillar to integrate Cat® products into the soccer ecosystem. Cat dealers will also have access to exclusive soccer experiences for their operators and customers as well as their families.

Caterpillar recently collaborated with MLS in development of Cat Trials 12: No Hands, which features U.S. and International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup soccer legend, DaMarcus Beasley, teaming up with autonomous Cat equipment to make a trick shot. The Cat Trials 12 video can be viewed at http://www.cat.com/trial12.

For more information about Caterpillar’s sponsorship of MLS and other corporate sponsorships, please visit https://www.caterpillar.com/en/company/working-together/sponsorships.html.

About Caterpillar
With 2021 sales and revenues of $51.0 billion, Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For nearly 100 years, we’ve been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed. Caterpillar does business on every continent, principally operating through three primary segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and providing financing and related services through our Financial Products segment. Visit us at caterpillar.com or join the conversation on our social media channels.

About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer – celebrating its 27th season in 2022 – features 29 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, including 2022 expansion team Charlotte FC and St. Louis City SC, which debuts in 2023. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com.

NEW YORK, May 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — AfroSoundz Radio (www.afrosoundz.com) is a new streaming music platform now heard on iHeartRadio. Its mission is to present modern, culturally engaging African music to people all over the world.

AfroSoundz Radio(www.afrosoundz.com) is a new free streaming music platform whose mission is to present modern, culturally engaging African music to people all over the world. The platform can now officially be heard on Live365.com and iHeartRadio.

“AfroSoundz Radio is a station comprised of DJs and programmers originally from the African Continent. Our roots are in our culture, and our culture is rich with the many styles of music that have become our heritage.” said DJ Bjay, AfroSoundz Radio’s main DJ & music director. “AfroSoundz Radio makes the mind more curious, the heart more open, and the soul more joyful through our excellent songs to keep you on your feet. With genres ranging from Highlife and Afrobeats, there are many homegrown sounds to experience on our network.”

Some of the featured artists on AfroSoundz Radio include: Davido, Nasty C, Vanessa Mdee, Jidenna, Wizkid, Patoranking, Gnako, Ebony, StoneBwoy, Ice Prince, Afro B, Larry Gaaga, DJ Maphorisa and many, many more.

“I am very happy to see AfroSoundz Radio listed on iHeartRadio. This is one of the major achievements for AfroSoundz Radio to showcase Afrobeat genre, music and culture to the world. A platform for listeners all over the world not just to listen to African music but also experience African culture through different sections AfroSoundz Radio have in place” said Dj Bjay

“Having AfroSoundz Radio featured on iHeartRadio is immense, especially for listeners of Afrobeats music. This is a major win for representation, for Afrobeats music, and for the musicians creating the music we enjoy” said Sean Ibanibo, Podcast Director at AfroSoundz Radio.

For more information about AfroSoundz Radio (The beats that keep you on your feet), please visit www.afrosoundz.com

Media Contact:
Mark Goldman
516-639-0988
336843@email4pr.com

SOURCE AfroSoundz Radio

BEIJING, March 5, 2022 — The waves triggered by Bing Dwen Dwen, the cute panda mascot of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, are continuing, and Shuey Rhon Rhon has followed. On Friday, the Paralympic Winter Games kicked off. The opening ceremony, with the theme “Blossoming of Life,” is a continuation of the warmth and human touch that the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games brought to the world and makes the significance of this event go beyond sports. Letting go of the barriers of countries and races and breaking through the shadow of war and disputes, the calling for “Together for a Shared Future” unites people around the world and promotes a peaceful and more inclusive world.

March 4 was the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar. On this day, there is a folk saying that “the dragon raises its head.” The Beijing Winter Olympics gave people the budding hope and vitality of early spring, and the “dragon raises its head” symbolizes the vitality and color of all things.

At the Beijing Winter Olympics, athletes challenged the limits of human beings and allowed the audience to enjoy a visual feast; the Winter Paralympics will provide athletes a platform to show the world self-esteem, self-confidence, self-improvement and self-reliance. Their spirit of self-improvement and hard work and the inspiration and emotions they bring to the global audience will also have a long-lasting effect.

Since the first Winter Paralympics in Sweden in 1976, the Winter Paralympic Games have continued to grow and become a stage for the world’s athletes with disabilities to demonstrate their competitive levels and the value of life, and also build a bridge of friendship for the world. At present, the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging and some regions are plunged in great uncertainty, but the Beijing Winter Paralympics are still held as scheduled. This is China’s new contribution to promoting the development of the Olympic cause and the cause of the disabled.

Facts have once again proven to the world that China is worth trusting. China has presented a simple, safe and splendid Winter Olympics to the world. Athletes from all over the world can communicate and compete here without any worries. We are confident toward and capable of hosting a same splendid Paralympic Winter Games to ensure that athletes with disabilities can show the beauty of life to the fullest in a beautiful, barrier-free experience. People will see that despite the changing international situation, the three core values of the Olympics – Excellence, Respect and Friendship – will still shine brightly at the Beijing Winter Paralympics, and the belief in unity and peace will once again be upheld.

Honorary Life President of the IOC Juan Antonio Samaranch once said sports for the disabled could awaken the conscience of mankind. There are more than a billion people with disabilities in the world, accounting for about 15 percent of the world’s population. China is home to over 85 million people with various disabilities. The Beijing Winter Paralympics have provided a window to allow the world to see their existence, efforts and hardships. The Games have also offered the world an opportunity to applaud for the unremitting efforts athletes made to improve themselves and urge society to care for persons with disabilities. Promoting peace, inclusiveness and integration is the important connotation of the name of Winter Paralympics mascot Shuey Rhon Rhon and also the warm message it conveys to the world.

On the eve of the opening of the Beijing Winter Paralympics, China’s State Council Information Office published a white paper titled “China’s Parasports: Progress and the Protection of Rights.” It revealed that the participation rate in grassroots cultural and sports activities for persons with disabilities has increased from 6.8 percent in 2015 to 23.9 percent in 2021 in China. In the Beijing Paralympic Winter Games, there will be guide dogs wearing the anti-counterfeiting traceability code as well as many high-tech facilities and services that serve persons with disabilities. Beijing has made considerate preparations for the Paralympic Winter Games no less than the previous Winter Olympics. Beijing has worked with meticulous attention and conscientiously to fulfill the spirit of the Paralympic movement. This is a natural international extension of the Chinese government’s philosophy of “exercising governance for the people.”

At the opening ceremony, the last torchbearer was a blind athlete. When he fumbled several times and tried to insert the torch into the snowflake cauldron, the audience cheered for him; when the torch stayed in the center of the big snowflake, the whole stadium burst into applause. This scene is moving. Some netizens said, “Although he can’t see the light, he lights up the night sky for us.” This night, fireworks filled the sky and life blossomed. Surprises and hopes that the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics brought to the people have been engraved in history, and so will the warmth and human touch the Winter Paralympics will bring.

“The two Olympics will be equally wonderful.” We expect on the Paralympic fields, athletes will inject peace, warmth and positive energy into this turbulent world with their friendship, courage and strength.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202203/1253977.shtml

SOURCE Global Times

CONTACT: Jincui Yu, 13811675317, yujincui@globaltimes.com.cn

HARLEM, N.Y., Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Apollo, one of America’s cultural treasures, announced today it received a $5 million gift from Sirius XM Radio Inc., the leading audio entertainment company in North America, building on the organization’s over a decade relationship. In recognition of the gift and for the many special performances held by SiriusXM at the theater since 2010, the Apollo will name the Orchestra Level of the historic theater the SiriusXM Orchestra. SiriusXM’s exclusive shows at the Apollo further both the Apollo and SiriusXM’s support of artists and help create access for a wide range of audiences.

The generous donation, which comes at a pivotal moment for the non-profit as it opens its doors in January for the winter/spring 2022 season, helps support the Apollo’s mission to create and present work that center Black artists and voices from the African Diaspora. The gift to the Apollo was funded by the company’s charitable arm, SiriusXM Cares.

Over the past 88 years, the Apollo has hosted audiences from all over the world and launched the careers of incredible artists from Aretha Franklin and James Brown to Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo and countless more. And since 2010, SiriusXM has held a series of critically acclaimed and first-ever performances at the theater featuring a range of artists including Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, U2, Pitbull, and Bruce Springsteen.

In recent months, as part of the Apollo and SiriusXM’s more than decade-long relationship, the organizations have presented an array of invitation-only concerts for SiriusXM subscribers and Pandora listeners, including Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys, who gave a special performance in her hometown of New York City last month; the singer-songwriter H.E.R., who originally debuted on the theater’s stage as part of “Showtime at the Apollo”; and Coldplay, who made their Apollo debut as part of SiriusXM and Pandora’s Small Stage Series in September. At the time, Coldplay front man Chris Martin shared with the audience, “We’ve been dreaming of playing here for a long, long time.”

“I am incredibly grateful to SiriusXM for their continued commitment to the Apollo and their immense generosity. Bringing together the country’s leading audio entertainment company and the world’s leading home for Black artists is an ideal match, and it’s been an honor to work with them to bring performances from some of the most iconic performers to the Apollo Stage,” said Apollo President and CEO Jonelle Procope. “The Apollo has long been a vibrant platform for artistic innovation, from musical and comedy performances to timely conversations on topics facing our communities. I look forward to our continued collaboration with SiriusXM as we celebrate Black excellence on our stages.”

“Ever since we held our first special concert there in 2010 with Paul McCartney, we have seen why the Apollo is hallowed ground for artists, their joy and excitement so visible as they perform on its stage,” said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer of SiriusXM. “We are proud to support the Apollo and its mission, and we look forward to bringing many more great shows to the world-famous Apollo.”

Looking ahead to 2022, the Apollo will offer a dynamic line-up of free and ticketed programs in person at the Apollo’s historic theater and online on the Apollo Digital Stage. Highlights include the long-anticipated return of the Amateur Night at the Apollo competition on Wednesday, February 16 at 7:30pm EST; Apollo Master Artist-in-Residence Ta-Nehisi Coates and The Roots’ Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, in conversation; the Lyricist Lounge 30th Anniversary Concert featuring hip-hop trailblazers to be announced; the premiere of The Gathering: A Collective Ring Shout, co-presented by the American Composers Orchestra and the Apollo and co-curated by National Black Theatre; the return of the Africa Now! Festival featuring East African jazz vocalist and Grammy nominee Somi; and more. As with all of its programming, the non-profit Apollo’s season centers Black artists and voices from the African Diaspora with myriad opportunities for artists and audiences to come back together at the iconic theater. For a complete line-up and more information about the Apollo, please visit www.ApolloTheater.org.

About the Apollo Theater
The legendary Apollo—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival. The non-profit Apollo Theater is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals and large-scale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R., D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, and Miri Ben Ari; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy. For more information about the Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org.

About SiriusXM
Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is the leading audio entertainment company in North America, and the premier programmer and platform for subscription and digital advertising-supported audio products. SiriusXM’s platforms collectively reach approximately 150 million listeners, the largest digital audio audience across paid and free tiers in North America, and deliver music, sports, talk, news, comedy, entertainment, and podcasts. Pandora, a subsidiary of SiriusXM, is the largest ad-supported audio entertainment streaming service in the U.S. SiriusXM’s subsidiaries Stitcher, Simplecast, and AdsWizz make it a leader in podcast hosting, production, distribution, analytics, and monetization. The Company’s advertising sales organization, which operates as SXM Media, leverages its scale, cross-platform sales organization, and ad tech capabilities to deliver results for audio creators and advertisers. SiriusXM, through Sirius XM Canada Holdings, Inc., also offers satellite radio and audio entertainment in Canada. In addition to its audio entertainment businesses, SiriusXM offers connected vehicle services to automakers. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com.

For more information, please contact:

Fatima Jones
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications
press@apollotheater.org

Josh Balber
Resnicow and Associates
JBalber@resnicow.com
212-671-5175

Patrick Reilly
SiriusXM
Patrick.Reilly@siriusxm.com

NEW YORK, Oct. 28, 2021 — ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC, VIACA) today announced that ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in the acclaimed Spanish language content producer, Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico from The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) and the founding family of Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico. ViacomCBS International Studios’ VIS, a division of VCNI, will operate Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico as a collaborative partnership with the founding family. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

Through this transaction, VCNI will gain access to Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico’s studio operations in both Colombia and Mexico, as well as many hours of library content, which is comprised of multifaceted entertainment spanning multiple key genres including premium series, telenovelas, films, documentaries, unscripted, kids and family, branded and digital content and live sports shows produced for various audiences. This content will fuel ViacomCBS’ global streaming platforms including Paramount+ and Pluto TV, and its linear networks around the world. Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico will also bolster ViacomCBS’ Spanish language content production capabilities to capitalize on significant content demand in the region and worldwide. This transaction combined with VCNI’s existing portfolio in Latin America, which includes VIS’ studio business and broadcasters Telefe in Argentina and the recently acquired Chilevisión in Chile, will position ViacomCBS as one of the leading Spanish-language content production companies in the world.

“The acquisition of Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico, combined with ViacomCBS’ existing Spanish-language portfolio including Telefe and Chilevisión, reinforces the company’s position as a leading worldwide producer of Spanish-language content,” said Raffaele Annecchino, President and CEO, ViacomCBS Networks International. “This content will fuel ViacomCBS’ global ecosystem across Paramount+, Pluto TV and its linear networks.”

Samuel Duque Rozo, Founder and CEO of Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico, stated: “This announcement is very fulfilling and I feel very honored that Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico will continue its expansion and growth in the hands of such an amazing company as ViacomCBS and its talented and visionary executives. The extraordinary work that our team has made during all these years, combined with ViacomCBS’ vision, iconic brands, experience, professionalism, creativity among much more, will bring nothing less but the best for both businesses.”

Samuel Duque Rozo, Founder and CEO of the company, will continue to exclusively support the business from a creative and strategic advisory position, and Samuel Duque Duque, current President, will lead the business. Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico will fall under the remit of Juan “JC” Acosta, President of ViacomCBS International Studios and Networks Americas. The acquisition joins ViacomCBS’ Latin American portfolio, which includes two of the region’s most-watched free-to-air broadcasters, Telefe in Argentina and Chilevisión in Chile; the premium SVOD service, Paramount+; top FAST service Pluto TV; ViacomCBS International Studios production hubs; comedy YouTube channel and creators, Porta dos Fundos; more than 10 branded pay TV networks, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and Comedy Central, among others; multiple on-the-ground events and experiences; and an extensive consumer products catalogue.

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI)
ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC, VIACA), comprises many of the world’s most iconic consumer brands. Its portfolio includes Channel 5, Telefe, Chilevisión, Network 10, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Network, streaming services Paramount+ and Pluto TV, and ViacomCBS International Studios, among others. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS Networks International provides robust production, distribution, and advertising solutions for partners on five continents and across more than 180 countries.

VIAC-IR

The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes Disney Parks, Experiences and Products; Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution; and three content groups—Studios, General Entertainment and Sports–focused on developing and producing content for DTC, theatrical and linear platforms. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $65.4 billion in its Fiscal Year 2020.

CisionView original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/viacomcbs-to-acquire-majority-interest-in-fox-telecolombia–estudios-telemexico-301411055.html

SOURCE ViacomCBS Inc.

ViacomCBS Networks International: Janice Gatti, Senior Vice President, Communications, 1-347-754-1677, Janice.Gatti@ViacomCBS.com; Ashley Priest, Senior Director, Communications, 1-646-285-6081, Ashley.priest@ViacomCBS.com; Investors: Anthony DiClemente, Executive Vice President, Investor Relations, (917) 796-4647, anthony.diclemente@viacomcbs.com; Jaime Morris, Vice President, Investor Relations, (646) 824-5450, jaime.morris@viacomcbs.com; Robert Amparo, Manager, Investor Relations, (347) 223-1682, robert.amparo@viacom.com; The Walt Disney Company: David Jefferson, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, (818) 560-4832, david.j.jefferson@disney.com; Ariadna Bergoglio, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, Latin America, 54-230-426-2135, ariadna.bergoglio@disney.com

QINGDAO, China, Oct. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on October 20 that Hisense, a global technology leader, will be the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. He said, “With Hisense’s premium products and cutting-edge technologies, we expect to jointly create an immersive and unforgettable football viewing experience for fans worldwide via technological innovation.” By successively sponsoring the Europe and World Cups, Hisense has stood out as the only Chinese company to sponsor world-class events for four years in a row.

Major global sports events have always provided an unprecedented opportunity for the demonstration and promotion of disruptive display and broadcasting technologies. In April 2017, for the first time, Hisense and FIFA formed a partnership, whereby FIFA appointed Hisense to broadcast the sports events live and develop advanced display products. The viewing experience was significantly enhanced for football fans worldwide with the roll out of Hisense’s official World Cup TV, a unit that had been customized through the application of a number of advanced technologies, including Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation (MEMC), the sports mode, facial recognition to identify football players, and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered interactive image search. “FIFA and Hisense will join forces to create a more immersive viewing experience for fans worldwide through technology and innovation,” stated Mr. Infantino.

FIFA and Hisense had already collaborated during the 2018 Russia World Cup. They will work even more closely during the 2022 World Cup in an effort that will involve more products and stakeholders than had been the case during the event in Russia. “FIFA understands that Hisense has always attached great importance to energy conservation, environmental protection and sustainable recycling, an ongoing commitment which is fully reflected in its research and development, production, sales and recycling of products as the two entities continue deepening the collaboration,” indicated Mr. Infantino. “The laser TV developed by Hisense reduces power consumption by more than 50 per cent compared with traditional LCD TVs, a factor that will have a significant impact on consumers’ buying decisions.”

“We are about one year away from hosting the 2022 Qatar World Cup, an event which is expected to deliver an unforgettable experience for both the host country and football fans everywhere,” added Mr. Infantino. FIFA has been committed to promoting the advancement of science and technology through the power of football so as to exert a positive influence on society. With the support of Hisense, the Qatar World Cup expects to create a visual feast that will be remembered as a truly iconic sports event.

SOURCE Hisense

CONTACT: Shuo Chen, +86-15621008071

Related Links
www.hisense.com

LONDON, Oct. 4, 2021 /CNW/ — With the group stage of the UEFA Women’s Champions League officially kicking off, global sports streaming platform and host broadcaster DAZN together with partner YouTube are thrilled to begin live broadcast coverage for fans around the world, marking the official start to the landmark multi-year deal announced earlier this year. From tomorrow 5 October through to the finals in May, all 61 matches will be available live on DAZN and free globally on DAZN’s new UEFA Women’s Champions League YouTube channel.

As it’s the first time UEFA has centralized all Women’s Champions League matches, through the partnership with DAZN and YouTube, fans for the first time will finally be able to follow every single match, throughout the entire season, all around the world, in one single place, for free – making the best women’s football monumentally easier to watch than ever before. This type of universal availability and exposure is long overdue and essential to grow the competition and ensure women’s football overall rises into the ubiquitous mainstream – where it belongs.

“I am thrilled about this partnership. For people to have access to our games wherever they are is a massive move in the right direction, which was long overdue in my eyes. And looking at the content DAZN is planning, to put the spotlight on players and stories across all places, will take things to the next level too,” said Ada Hegerberg, all-time highest scorer in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, Olympique Lyonnais superstar, and DAZN’s first ever season-long global women’s football ambassador who is eyeing a long-awaited comeback soon. “UEFA Women’s Champions League is coming close and I can’t wait for this season to start and show the world what we are made of!”

Building on a long-time commitment to women’s sport and long-term mission of growing the women’s game, DAZN has now also unveiled its initial content, broadcast coverage, talent, and social plans that will bring even more visibility to players, clubs, and the elite competition itself.

“We All Rise” Series – More In-Depth Storytelling

The debut content on DAZN’s UEFA Women’s Champions League YouTube channel was “We ALL Rise With More Eyes” – a campaign film conveying the brand’s unwavering belief in the ripple effect more visibility will have on taking the women’s competition to new heights. Building on this and a shared mission with UEFA and YouTube of turning more athletes into household names and inspiring the next generation of players, DAZN is unveiling the next installment of “We All Rise”: a special six-part series that will shine a light on women’s football in six influential European cities, from grassroots and local community to the professional game itself.

Each week of group stage play, DAZN will premiere a new short-form episode at halftime across all matches that features a diverse mix of locals from each city – including pro footballers, coaches, grassroots players, clubs, local officials, and more. Collectively, their unique voices and powerful experiences converge to tell the firsthand story of that city’s rich history of the game and revealing how – finally – women’s football is indeed on the rise.

The six-city tour will start in the UK, with the first episode “We All Rise: London” premiering tomorrow and featuring interviews with members of English club team Dulwich Hamlet, community girls football club Hackney Laces, Britain’s first female Muslim football referee JJ Roble, former manager of the Arsenal women’s team Vic Akers O.B.E., London Mayor Sadiq Khan, star players and legends including Katie Chapman, and more.

Next, the storytelling journey travels to France with “We All Rise: Paris”; this second episode will star freestyle footballer and Common Goal member Lisa Zimouche, PSG player Kadidiatou Diani, PSG Academy up-and-comer Laurina Fazer, PSG legend and Common Goal member Arianna Criscione, Muslim women’s football community collective Les Hijabeuses, inclusive amateur women’s football team Cacahuètes, and more. Following its broadcast premiere, each episode will also individually be available for fans to watch on both DAZN and YouTube.

Game of the Week – More All-Access Coverage

Continuing the showcase of the best of women’s football throughout the entire UEFA Women’s Champions League, DAZN will also travel to a different city each week for its official Game of The Week – giving viewers on DAZN and on YouTube an up close and personal look at all aspects of the game. The Game of the Week will be hosted by a rotating group of iconic faces from football and the wider sports and entertainment world and, beyond the live action itself, take viewers onto and beyond the pitch as well as behind-the-scenes with their favorite players.

The first Game of the Week will be Barcelona vs Arsenal on 5 October and the second will be Juventus vs Chelsea on 13 October, with both featuring a top-notch presentation team soon to be unveiled.

On-Air Talent Squad – More Expertise and Reach

Ahead of live broadcast kicking off tomorrow, DAZN is proud to have lined up the biggest on-air team ever assembled to cover women’s football for a single broadcaster – including dozens of professional commentators all over the world, from former players to the biggest names in football broadcasting across England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Portugal, and Ukraine.

With this historic women’s football pundit squad in place, DAZN will guarantee every single match for the season to be available for global audiences in up to three languages: 1. home team language 2. away team language and 3. if not already covered, English. This marks a first in UEFA Women’s Champions League history, as matches have never consistently been available in this many languages before for fans worldwide, and thus is another major step towards increasing the potential fanbase and growing the competition overall.

DAZN’s new talent lineup includes such recognizable names as:

Pien Meulensteen (England): Seasoned sports broadcasting and women’s football pro currently working with Manchester United TV, Premier League Productions and BBC Radio.
Romain Balland (France): Long-established women’s football journalist and Eurosport women’s football presenter since 2014.
Sandra Riquelme (Spain): Former pro footballer and current commentator for Vamos on Movistar and presenter for dedicated women’s football channel El Patio on YouTube.
Pierluigi Pardo (Italy): Legendary broadcast vet universally considered “the” voice of football in Italy.
Verena Schweers (Germany): Former Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg star as well as German national team player.
Social – More Nonstop Football

Beyond broadcast, DAZN is also committed to keeping fans on the pulse of everything football with a steady stream of social content showcasing the breadth and depth of the women’s game:

On YouTube, fans can expect hundreds of pieces of non-live content annually, including nonstop highlights featuring all the players, clubs, and goals from the season. Additionally, an ever-growing library of content will include the new “We All Rise” series, Game of the Week clips, player interviews and profiles, team highlights and best-of goal reels, a new “This Is” series that will help fans get to know each team in the competition, and much more to come.
On both Instagram and Twitter, @DAZNfootball will bring a global football audience the best narratives, highlights, clips, moments, and reactions around the beautiful game, covering the best of football – period – with both women’s and men’s football equally showcased on one single channel on both platforms.
Closing The Women’s Sport Gap – More Industry Action

Underlining the vision and mission behind the UEFA Women’s Champions League deal and partnership plans is a new global research report published today by DAZN and The Female Quotient. Titled “The Coverage Gap,” it includes new data across eight countries including the UK, U.S., France, and Spain that uncover key findings around the lack of regular women’s sport coverage (coverage defined here as broadcast, news, and social), how that translates for consumers into ongoing barriers to viewership, and why more visibility is critical to narrow and close the gap.

The full report can be viewed and downloaded HERE. Key findings include:

64% of consumers say they don’t watch women’s sports because they don’t know enough about the athletes and teams, don’t have as many opportunities to watch, or aren’t aware of where they can catch the games that are available.
There is a 30% gap between sports fans that watch men’s sports (93%) vs. those that watch women’s sports (only 63%).
Minimal promotion for events, broadcast disparities, and lack of steady media and social coverage and storytelling creates a significant barrier to viewership.
To close the gap and further grow the sport, DAZN and partners UEFA and YouTube invite key industry stakeholders to join in committing to making it easier for fans to tune in and follow along consistently, by increasing the visibility and coverage of women’s football and women’s sport overall at the same breadth and depth as unfailingly seen in men’s sport.

Because more leads to more, and we all rise with more eyes.

With UEFA Women’s Champions League, it all begins tomorrow as the 16 top European contenders go head-to-head in pursuit of championship glory – live on DAZN and on YouTube. The full schedule is below (all times listed in CEST) and you can learn more about the entire competition HERE.

Matchday 1

Tuesday 5 October

Hoffenheim vs HB Køge (18:45), Häcken vs Lyon (18:45)
Barcelona vs Arsenal (21:00), Benfica vs Bayern München (21:00)
Wednesday 6 October

Servette vs Juventus (18:45), WFC Kharkiv vs Real Madrid (18:45)
Chelsea vs Wolfsburg (21:00), Breidablik vs Paris Saint-Germain (21:00)
Matchday 2

Wednesday 13 October

Wolfsburg vs Servette (18:45), Paris Saint-Germain vs WFC Kharkiv (18:45)
Juventus vs Chelsea (21:00), Real Madrid vs Breidablik (21:00)
Thursday 14 October

HB Køge vs Barcelona (18:45), Bayern München vs Häcken (18:45)
Arsenal vs Hoffenheim (21:00), Lyon vs Benfica (21:00)
Matchday 3

Tuesday 9 November

Servette vs Chelsea (18:45), WFC Kharkiv vs Breidablik (18:45)
Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid (21:00), Juventus vs Wolfsburg (21:00)
Wednesday 10 November

Barcelona vs Hoffenheim (18:45), HB Køge vs Arsenal (18:45)
Benfica vs Häcken (21:00), Lyon vs Bayern München (21:00)
Matchday 4

Wednesday 17 November

Hoffenheim vs Barcelona (18:45), Häcken vs Benfica (18:45)
Bayern München vs Lyon (21:00), Arsenal vs HB Køge (21:00)
Thursday 18 November

Wolfsburg vs Juventus (18:45), Breidablik vs WFC Kharkiv (18:45)
Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain (21:00), Chelsea vs Servette (21:00)
Matchday 5

Wednesday 8 December

Servette vs Wolfsburg (18:45), WFC Kharkiv vs Paris Saint-Germain (18:45)
Chelsea vs Juventus (21:00), Breidablik vs Real Madrid (21:00)
Thursday 9 December

HB Køge vs Hoffenheim (18:45), Häcken vs Bayern München (18:45)
Arsenal vs Barcelona (21:00), Benfica vs Lyon (21:00)
Matchday 6

Wednesday 15 December

Bayern München vs Benfica (18:45), Lyon vs Häcken (18:45)
Barcelona vs HB Køge (21:00), Hoffenheim vs Arsenal (21:00)
Thursday 16 December

Real Madrid vs WFC Kharkiv (18:45), Paris Saint-Germain vs Breidablik (18:45)
Juventus vs Servette (21:00), Wolfsburg vs Chelsea (21:00)
Following the group stage, quarterfinals will take place in March, semifinals in April, and the final championship match in May.

About DAZN Group

DAZN Group is one of the fastest growing sports media companies in the world. Headquartered in the UK and with employees in over 25 countries, our businesses touch every aspect of the way fans engage with sports; from production, through to content distribution and commercialization. DAZN Group is home to DAZN, the leading global sports streaming platform, DAZN News, the popular sports portal and DAZN Player, the proprietary sports VOD platform for publishers. DAZN is leading the charge to give sports fans around the world access to sport anytime, anywhere. DAZN guarantees affordable access on connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles. DAZN is now live in more than 200 countries and territories. Visit www.dazngroupl.com for more information.

About YouTube

Launched in May 2005, YouTube’s mission is to give everyone a voice and show them the world. We believe that everyone deserves to have a voice, and that the world is a better place when we listen, share and build community through our stories. YouTube is a Google company.

About UEFA

UEFA – the Union of European Football Associations – is the governing body of European football. It is an association of associations, a representative democracy, and is the umbrella organisation for 55 national football associations across Europe. Its objectives are, among other things, to deal with all questions relating to European football, to promote football in a spirit of unity, solidarity, peace, understanding and fair play, without any discrimination on the part of politics, race, religion, gender or any other reason, to safeguard the values of European football, promote and protect ethical standards and good governance in European football, maintain relations with all stakeholders involved in European football, and support and safeguard its member associations for the overall well-being of the European game.

About The Female Quotient (The FQ)

Changing the equation. Closing the gaps. Fueled by the ideas, ambitions, innovations and empathy of a network of 50,000 working women around the world, The FQ is a collaborative global effort to eliminate the gender gap. While led by women, engaged and inspired leaders join this collective enterprise. The FQ’s diverse mix of live events, online forums, custom research, media, and corporate advisory services identifies challenges, surfaces effective strategies, forges powerful networks, and ultimately sparks measurable progress. For more information, visit: www.thefemalequotient.com.

Video – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1651714/WeAllRiseWithMoreEyes.mp4
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1097249/DAZN_Group_Logo.jpg

SOURCE DAZN

CONTACT: DAZN: Haiwen Lu, Haiwen.Lu@dazn.com, +1 917 855 7922, YouTube: Karl Ryan, ryankarl@google.com, UEFA: UEFA Media & Public Relations, media@uefa.ch

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sep. 15, 2021– BET, a unit of ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA), today launched BET Studios, an unprecedented studio venture that offers equity ownership for Black content creators. Propelled by the infrastructure and financing of BET and ViacomCBS, BET Studios will create premium television series and films for an array of internal buyers, including Paramount+, SHOWTIME, CBS, Nickelodeon, BET+ and BET, in addition to select third-party platforms that seek best-in-class content from both leading and rising Black creatives. BET Studios will launch with principal partners Kenya Barris, Rashida Jones and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas.

“The demand for premium content from Black creators has accelerated dramatically as a result of both the rapidly changing media and social landscapes. BET, with our 40-year legacy of celebrating Black culture, and the full power of the ViacomCBS ecosystem—is uniquely positioned to service this demand,” said BET President Scott Mills. “As a company with its origin in Black entrepreneurship, we are incredibly excited to create the first major studio to provide Black creators with ownership, creative freedom and the unparalleled partnership and support of BET. I am thrilled to have Aisha at the helm of this venture, and I look forward to our collaboration with our amazing creative partners in BET Studios.”

“BET Studios is an exciting and novel extension of the storied BET brand, and we have a structure well-suited to our times to bring top talent into this production company with real ownership,” said David Nevins, Chief Content Officer, Scripted Originals, Paramount+ & Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Showtime Networks Inc. “Scott Mills deserves tremendous credit for driving this innovative new business from idea to reality – and Kenya, Rashida and Aaron, could not be a more talented or in-demand group to lead this venture along with Aisha Summers.”

“The investment being made by Scott, David Nevins, Bob Bakish and the ViacomCBS team into BET Studios is not only an investment in Black storytelling, it is also an investment in the culture,” said Barris. “And while individual success is great, being able to amplify and champion underrepresented storytellers has been equally exciting and this venture allows that to continue to be a key focus in this next chapter of my career.”

“There is such power in the creative talent that the principal partners bring to the table and BET Studios’ unique ability to tell Black stories at scale,” said Jones. “This joining of forces is super exciting for me in the multitude of ways that people of color see themselves represented on screen.”

“As a new venture, BET Studios offers an opportunity to expand the brand’s legacy of delivering Black stories,” said Thomas. “This is a chance to bring nuanced, layered narratives to life, partnering with a forward-thinking team, interested in surprising and engaging the audience.”

BET Studios will be headed by Aisha Summers Burke, who was recently appointed Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the new venture. In this role, Burke will be responsible for working collaboratively with the Studio’s formidable creative partners and key internal constituencies. Along with overseeing the day-to-day creative affairs for the company, she will also be responsible for the BET Studios content slate and focusing on growing the Studio’s production output across both internal and external platforms. Burke will report to BET President Scott Mills.

“BET has long been celebrated for excellence in producing quality programming that authentically depicts experiences lived within the Black community,” said Summers Burke. “With the launch of BET Studios, we are excited to introduce a new model that opens the aperture to a broad array of platforms and supports the full range of content from Black creators. This entrepreneurial environment offers creatives the opportunity to produce diverse high-end content reflecting all aspects of entertainment.”

Prior to joining BET, Burke spent thirteen years at Warner Bros. Television, most recently serving as Vice-President of scripted television for the cable and streaming division of Warner Horizon before it merged with Warner Bros. TV in 2020.

About BET Studios Principal Partners

BET Studios will operate with nimble teams of dedicated staff for Mr. Barris, Ms. Jones and Mr. Thomas. This group will utilize the BET and larger ViacomCBS infrastructure and shared services to support day-to-day tactics. BET Studios will be led by newly appointed General Manager, Aisha Summers-Burke, with Kenya Barris, Rashida Jones and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas serving as principals, and a broad array of creative talent that will partner with BET to launch the venture.

Kenya Barris is an award-winning writer, producer, and director. Barris created the Netflix original comedy #BlackAF and the multiseries “-ish” franchise, which includes ABC’s Peabody Award-winning sitcom Black-ish and spin-off series Mixed-ish and Grown-ish, which airs on Freeform. Most recently, Barris co-wrote Coming 2 America, the highly anticipated sequel to John Landis’ 1980s classic starring Eddie Murphy. In 2018, he was honored with the ACLU Bill of Rights Award, followed by being presented the 2019 Visionary Award from the Producers Guild of America and the Voice for Change Award from the Humanitas Prize.

Rashida Jones is an actress, director, writer, and filmmaker. As a filmmaker, Jones executive produced the Emmy nominated Hot Girls Wanted and the follow up Netflix series Turned On. In 2018, her documentary Quincy, about her father, Quincy Jones, debuted on Netflix and won the GRAMMY® Award for Best Music Film the next year. Alongside her partner Will McCormack, their company Le Train Train executive produced the hit dramedy series CLAWS, which premiered on TNT in 2017.

Aaron Rahsaan Thomas is an acclaimed television and film screenwriter and producer from Kansas City, Kansas. Most recently, Thomas was the co-creator and co-showrunner of the procedural series reboot of S.W.A.T., which airs on Friday nights on CBS and has worked on NBC’s Friday Night Lights—for which he received a Peabody Award and two NAACP Image Award nominations—as well as CBS series, like Numb3rs and CSI: NY. He has also served as a Co-Executive Producer on TNT’s SouthLAnd, Fox’s Sleepy Hollow, Netflix’s The Get Down and directed an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, Trojan War.

About BET

BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET+, the preeminent streaming service for the Black audience; BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

VIAC-IR

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210915005715/en/

Mia Scott-Aime
mia.scott@bet.net

LONDON & NEW YORK & PHILADELPHIA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aug. 18, 2021– Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC, VIACA) today announced a partnership to launch a new subscription video on demand (SVOD) service in more than 20 European territories encompassing 90 million homes. SkyShowtime will bring together decades of direct-to-consumer experience and the very best entertainment, movies, and original series from the NBCUniversal, Sky and ViacomCBS portfolio of brands, including titles from SHOWTIME, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+ Originals, Sky Studios, Universal Pictures, and Peacock. The service’s vast slate will span all genres and audience categories, including scripted dramas, kids and family, key franchises, premiere movies, local programming, documentaries/factual content, and more.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210818005282/en/

The new SVOD service is expected to launch in 2022, subject to regulatory approval. It will ultimately be available to consumers in Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

SkyShowtime will be home to 10,000+ hours of entertainment from some of the top creators and most beloved content from around the world. The new service will include first-run, new movies and TV seasons launching every month with a quality library of all-time favorites, classics, and family and kids programming.

“With the launch of SkyShowtime we are well positioned to utilize our global content engine to create a compelling streaming offering, quickly and at scale, with a smart strategic phased investment,” said Raffaele Annecchino, President & Chief Executive Officer of ViacomCBS Networks International. “As a complement to our recently announced Paramount+ partnership with Sky in the UK, Italy, and Germany, SkyShowtime represents a huge opportunity to accelerate our market expansion and build a leadership position in SVOD in Europe.”

“Our new streaming service, SkyShowtime, will combine the best of the US and Europe with iconic brands and world-class entertainment for millions of consumers in more than 20 new markets in Europe,” said Dana Strong, Group Chief Executive, Sky. “On the heels of Peacock coming to Sky, this partnership provides an innovative approach to quickly scale internationally and monetize content across Europe. Drawing on the strength of the incredible programming from NBCUniversal, Sky, and ViacomCBS, and powered by Peacock’s platform technology, SkyShowtime will provide a truly compelling lineup for the whole family and strong brand recognition across these regions.”

The partnership will be structured as a joint venture, with equal investment and joint control by ViacomCBS and Comcast. Further detail on the SkyShowtime service offering, including subscription price, will be announced at a later date.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

About ViacomCBS

ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry’s most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions.

For more information about ViacomCBS, please visit www.viacomcbs.com and follow @ViacomCBS on social platforms.

VIAC-IR

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210818005282/en/

Media Contacts:

Comcast
Jennifer Khoury (215) 286-7408
John Demming (215) 286-8011

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jul. 12, 2021– Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service, and PBR, the world’s premier bull riding organization, today announced a new multifaceted partnership that will kick off by bringing PBR’s signature streaming service RidePass, and its stable of live events, talent and fans, to an all-new arena. Beginning July 20th, 2021, PBR RidePass will stream exclusively on Pluto TV, as both a linear channel and on-demand featuring hundreds of hours of live professional bull riding, rodeo, other western sporting events, and more. Additionally, Pluto TV will market its service to PBR fans, becoming one of the sport’s largest partners.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210712005538/en/

(Photo: Business Wire)
(Photo: Business Wire)

As the leading destination for fans of bull-riding and western sports content, the launch of PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will mark a transition from the digital network’s origin as a subscription-based streaming service to an ad-supported streaming channel. With a growing audience of over 50 million global users on Pluto TV, the PBR RidePass channel will super serve western sports fans by providing them with front-row streaming access, for free, to fan-favorite western sports content. Programming includes PBR’s Unleash The Beast and Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour, marquee rodeos including WCRA Triple Crown, Indian National Finals Rodeo, Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, and National High School Rodeo Finals, premier horse and equestrian events, including “Road to the Horse,” highlight shows, and western sports shoulder programming.

The first marquee rodeo to be carried live on Pluto TV is Days of 47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo on July 20-24 from Utah Fair State Park with all five rounds of competition free on Pluto TV.

“This new relationship with Pluto TV allows PBR to super serve fans with hundreds of events and thousands of hours of great western sports programming now available for free,” said Sean Gleason, Commissioner and CEO, PBR. “With PBR’s linear and streaming live event content all within the ViacomCBS family through CBS and Pluto TV, we will benefit from tremendous synergies to grow this first-of-its-kind sports network.”

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV represents an expansion of the FAST leader’s growing footprint in live sports and events programming, building on Pluto TV’s existing appointment viewing for franchises and iconic sporting events. This marks a first-of-its-kind deal for Pluto TV bringing education and amplified brand awareness via in-event marketing and broadcast television promotion and activations as an official PBR partner. As the streaming sector continues to expand, with more and more new entrants joining the space to provide a variety of offerings, this partnership demonstrates a new paradigm for niche streaming services and broader platforms to work together. Albeit across screens or in stadiums, this symbiotic relationship provides a mutual vehicle to speak to, and engage with, brand-new audiences while collaboratively growing user bases.

“Pluto TV is excited to be the new exclusive home for PBR RidePass, our first dedicated live sports and lifestyle channel featuring PBR’s marquee lineup of live rodeos, bull-riding and western sports. We are the perfect destination to entertain PBR’s vast and loyal fanbase and are proud to be able to deliver this best-in-sport streaming content, for free, for the very first time,” states Tom Ryan, CEO and President ViacomCBS Streaming. “We welcome the challenge to partner and build upon the successful foundation PBR established with RidePass by adding our own expertise in live, ad-supported streaming.”

PBR RidePass, which was launched in February 2018, bringing to fans live coverage of PBR’s tours as well as dozens of rodeo and western sports events, complements Pluto TV’s lineup of western-themed programming including the Western TV channel which streams series like The Lone Ranger and Walker Texas Ranger as well as a dedicated movie channel, Pluto TV Westerns, featuring iconic films like True Grit, Geronimo: An American Legend, and The Alamo. Earlier this month, Pluto TV launched an exclusive dedicated channel to Steve McQueen’s Wanted: Dead or Alive.

Stream PBR RidePass, beginning July 20th, 2021, on Pluto TV. Pluto TV is available on all mobile, web and connected TV streaming devices.

For media assets, please click HERE

About PBR

PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 500 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash the Beast Tour (UTB), which features the Top 35 bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. PBR’s digital assets include RidePass, which is home to Western sports. PBR is a subsidiary of IMG, a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media. For more information, visit PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.

About Pluto TV

Pluto TV, a ViacomCBS Company, is the leading free streaming television service, delivering hundreds of live and original channels and thousands of on-demand movies in partnership with major TV networks, movie studios, publishers, and digital media companies. Pluto TV has a global audience of nearly 50 million monthly active users and an international footprint that spans three continents and 25 countries throughout the US, Europe and Latin America. Pluto TV is available on all mobile, web and connected TV streaming devices where millions tune in each month to watch premium news, TV shows, movies, sports, lifestyle, and trending digital series. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Pluto TV has offices across the United States, Europe and Latin America.

VIAC-IR

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210712005538/en/

Media Contacts:
Jodi Lederman | Pluto TV
jodi@pluto.tv
310.775.5775

Andrew Giangola | PBR
andrew.giangola@img.com
646-871-2402

Source: VIACOMCBS INC.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) today announced a definitive agreement to combine WarnerMedia’s premium entertainment, sports and news assets with Discovery’s leading nonfiction and international entertainment and sports businesses to create a premier, standalone global entertainment company.

Under the terms of the agreement, which is structured as an all-stock, Reverse Morris Trust transaction, AT&T would receive $43 billion (subject to adjustment) in a combination of cash, debt securities, and WarnerMedia’s retention of certain debt, and AT&T’s shareholders would receive stock representing 71% of the new company; Discovery shareholders would own 29% of the new company. The Boards of Directors of both AT&T and Discovery have approved the transaction.

The companies expect the transaction will create substantial value for AT&T and Discovery shareholders by:

Bringing together the strongest leadership teams, content creators, and high-quality series and film libraries in the media business.
Accelerating both companies’ plans for leading direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming services for global consumers.
Uniting complementary and diverse content strengths with broad appeal — WarnerMedia’s robust studios and portfolio of iconic scripted entertainment, animation, news and sports with Discovery’s global leadership in unscripted and international entertainment and sports.
Forming a new company that will have significant scale and investment resources with projected 2023 Revenue of approximately $52 billion, adjusted EBITDA of approximately $14 billion, and an industry leading Free Cash Flow conversion rate of approximately 60%.
Creating at least $3 billion in expected cost synergies annually for the new company to increase its investment in content and digital innovation, and to scale its global DTC business.
For AT&T and its shareholders, this transaction provides an opportunity to unlock value in its media assets and to better position the media business to take advantage of the attractive DTC trends in the industry. Additionally, the transaction allows the company to better capitalize on the longer-term demand for connectivity:

AT&T shareholders participate in a leading media company with a broad global portfolio of brands, tremendous DTC potential and strengthened combined assets.
Creates substantial value opportunity for AT&T shareholders through stepped-up investment in growth areas – mobile and fixed broadband.
Capital structure improvement after closing will position AT&T as one of the best capitalized 5G and fiber broadband companies in the United States.
Results in two independent companies – one broadband connectivity and the other media – to sharpen the investment focus and attract the best investor base for each company.
A Stronger Competitor in Global Streaming

The new company will compete globally in the fast-growing direct-to-consumer business — bringing compelling content to DTC subscribers across its portfolio, including HBO Max and the recently launched discovery+. The transaction will combine WarnerMedia’s storied content library of popular and valuable IP with Discovery’s global footprint, trove of local-language content and deep regional expertise across more than 200 countries and territories. The new company will be able to invest in more original content for its streaming services, enhance the programming options across its global linear pay TV and broadcast channels, and offer more innovative video experiences and consumer choices.

Uniting Dynamic, Enduring and Historic Brands and Franchises

The “pure play” content company will own one of the deepest libraries in the world with nearly 200,000 hours of iconic programming and will bring together over 100 of the most cherished, popular and trusted brands in the world under one global portfolio, including: HBO, Warner Bros., Discovery, DC Comics, CNN, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Food Network, the Turner Networks, TNT, TBS, Eurosport, Magnolia, TLC, Animal Planet, ID and many more.

The new company will be able to increase investment and capabilities in original content and programming; create more opportunity for under-represented storytellers and independent creators; serve customers with innovative video experiences and points of engagement; and propel more investment in high-quality, family-friendly nonfiction content.

Leadership, Governance and Structure
The companies announced that Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav will lead the proposed new company with a best-in-class management team and top operational and creative leadership from both companies.

Discovery’s current multiple classes of shares will be consolidated to a single class with one vote per share.

The new company’s Board of Directors will consist of 13 members, 7 initially appointed by AT&T, including the chairperson of the board; Discovery will initially appoint 6 members, including CEO David Zaslav.

Executive Commentary

John Stankey Said:
“This agreement unites two entertainment leaders with complementary content strengths and positions the new company to be one of the leading global direct-to-consumer streaming platforms. It will support the fantastic growth and international launch of HBO Max with Discovery’s global footprint and create efficiencies which can be re-invested in producing more great content to give consumers what they want. For AT&T shareholders, this is an opportunity to unlock value and be one of the best capitalized broadband companies, focused on investing in 5G and fiber to meet substantial, long-term demand for connectivity. AT&T shareholders will retain their stake in our leading communications company that comes with an attractive dividend. Plus, they will get a stake in the new company, a global media leader that can build one of the top streaming platforms in the world.”

David Zaslav Said:

“During my many conversations with John, we always come back to the same simple and powerful strategic principle: these assets are better and more valuable together. It is super exciting to combine such historic brands, world class journalism and iconic franchises under one roof and unlock so much value and opportunity. With a library of cherished IP, dynamite management teams and global expertise in every market in the world, we believe everyone wins…consumers with more diverse choices, talent and storytellers with more resources and compelling pathways to larger audiences, and shareholders with a globally scaled growth company committed to a strong balance sheet that is better positioned to compete with the world’s largest streamers. We will build a new chapter together with the creative and talented WarnerMedia team and these incredible assets built on a nearly 100-year legacy of the most wonderful storytelling in the world. That will be our singular mission: to focus on telling the most amazing stories and have a ton of fun doing it.”

Transaction Highlights
The combination will be executed through a Reverse Morris Trust, under which WarnerMedia will be spun or split off to AT&T’s shareholders via dividend or through an exchange offer or a combination of both and simultaneously combined with Discovery. The transaction is expected to be tax-free to AT&T and AT&T’s shareholders.

In connection with the spin-off or split-off of WarnerMedia, AT&T will receive $43 billion (subject to adjustment) in a combination of cash, debt securities and WarnerMedia’s retention of certain debt. The new company expects to maintain investment grade rating and utilize the significant cash flow of the combined company to rapidly de-lever to approximately 3.0x within 24 months, and to target a new, longer term gross leverage target of 2.5x-3.0x. WarnerMedia has secured fully committed financing from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and affiliates of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC for the purposes of funding the distribution.

The transaction is anticipated to close in mid-2022, subject to approval by Discovery shareholders and customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals. No vote is required by AT&T shareholders. Agreements are in place with Dr. John Malone and Advance to vote in favor of the transaction.

AT&T Preliminary Financial Profile Following Completion of the Transaction; Focused Total Return Strategy for Capital Allocation; After Close, Dividend Payout Ratio1 Expected to be Low 40s%.

After close and on a pro-forma basis, AT&T expects its remaining assets to produce the following financial trajectory from 2022 to 2024:

Annual revenue growth: low single digits CAGR2
Annual adjusted EBITDA3 and adjusted EPS4 growth: mid-single digits CAGR
Significantly increased financial flexibility to drive returns to shareholders, including:
Expected increased capital investment for incremental investments in 5G and fiber broadband. The company expects annual capital expenditures of around $24 billion once the transaction closes. AT&T expects its 5G C-band network will cover 200 million people in the U.S. by year-end 2023. And the company plans to expand its fiber footprint to cover 30 million customer locations by year-end 2025.
Significant debt reduction: Expect Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA5 in the 2.6x range after transaction closes and less than 2.5x by year end 2023.
Attractive dividend – resized to account for the distribution of WarnerMedia to AT&T shareholders. After close and subject to AT&T Board approval, AT&T expects an annual dividend payout ratio of 40% to 43% on anticipated free cash flow1 of $20 billion plus.
The optionality to repurchase shares once Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA is less than 2.5x.
Advisors

LionTree LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as financial advisors and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP served as legal advisor to AT&T.

Allen & Company LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC served as financial advisors and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP served as legal advisor to Discovery. Peralla Weinberg Partners and Wachtell Lipton, Rosen & Katz served as advisors to the Independent Directors of Discovery.
RBC Capital Markets served as financial advisors and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal advisors to Advance.

Media Availability and Investor Call

AT&T and Discovery will hold a joint press conference at 7:30am EDT, and a separate call with investors will begin at 8:30am EDT today. The webcast of the call and related materials will be available on AT&T’s and Discovery’s Investor Relations websites at https://investors.att.com/ and https://ir.corporate.discovery.com/investor-relations.

Join the 7:30am EDT press conference with John Stankey and David Zaslav on Zoom by clicking here. Your camera will be disabled and microphones will be automatically muted. To ask a question, please select the “raise hand icon.” When you are called on, you will receive a prompt asking you to unmute your microphone. The Zoom Webinar ID is 985 9072 9554; the passcode is 866906.

NEW YORK, April 27, 2021 — International advocacy organization Global Citizen has revealed additions to VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World, their live event on May 2 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The event will air and livestream on Saturday, May 8, 2021 on ABC, ABC News Live, CBS, YouTube, iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations and the iHeartRadio App, at 8:00 PM ET/PT, 7:00 PM CT. The concert will also air on FOX at 11:00 PM ET/PT.

As the first large-scale music event for a COVID-compliant audience composed of fully-vaccinated frontline healthcare and essential workers, VAX LIVE calls for new commitments from governments, the private sector, and philanthropists toward the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

Among today’s line-up additions:

Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are serving as Campaign Chairs of VAX LIVE and will be delivering an important global message for vaccine equity during the event. To help ensure equitable access to the vaccine, they’ve also been leading a coordinated drive across the private sector to raise critical funds for the vaccine-sharing program COVAX.
Global Citizen is proud to announce a special appearance by President Biden, First Lady Dr Biden and Vice President Harris as part of Global Citizen’s partnership with the White House’s “We Can Do This” initiative to increase public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines while reinforcing basic prevention measures, such as mask wearing and social distancing. Additionally, President Macron of France, Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada, and Prime Minister Plenković of Croatia will make appearances.
Multi-platinum recording artist, actress and producer, Selena Gomez, as host, and musical headliners, Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, J Balvin, and H.E.R. will be joined by Ben Affleck, Chrissy Teigen, David Letterman, Gayle King, Jimmy Kimmel, Nomzamo Mbatha, Olivia Munn, and Sean Penn.
Cisco announced $5M, the Analog Devices Foundation announced $1M, and The Coca-Cola Foundation announced $500K to support COVAX. Cisco’s $5M contribution to the Gavi COVAX AMC will be matched by a Swiss Foundation who prefers to remain anonymous. These commitments, totaling $11.5 million, will fund the purchase of an estimated 2.3 million vaccine doses for health workers.
The Vax Live campaign is calling on businesses to donate dollars for doses via COVAX, wealthy governments to share excess doses immediately with COVAX, and for pharmaceutical companies like Moderna to make vaccines available at not-for-profit prices.
As part of VAX LIVE, Global Citizen is campaigning to support the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) initiative – including COVAX – a vaccine-sharing program co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), to ensure global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. During the special, Global Citizen will call on governments asking them to pledge a total of $19 billion, the outstanding balance needed by the ACT-A to get 1.8 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses plus tests and treatments to the world’s poorest countries by the end of 2021. As part of the campaign, Spain announced the donation of an estimated 7.5 million vaccine doses as soon as 50% of the Spanish population is vaccinated. France announced starting the sharing of doses for health workers across Africa with an initial donation of 100,000 this month, and at least 500,000 by June.

“Over the past year, our world has experienced pain, loss, and struggle—together. Now we need to recover and heal—together. We can’t leave anybody behind. We will all benefit, we will all be safer, when everyone everywhere has equal access to the vaccine. We must pursue equitable vaccine distribution, and in that, restore faith in our common humanity. This mission couldn’t be more critical or important,” said Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Campaign Chairs of Vax Live.

“As part of the Vax Live campaign, the Government of Spain will facilitate to Latin America and the Caribbean a quantity of vaccines against COVID-19 that corresponds, at least, to between 5% and 10% of the total vaccines that our country receives throughout 2021. I am proud of my country and of the dedication of its people, including public representatives, for showing solidarity in responding to this crisis, that has been so brutal both in Spain and abroad,” said Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.

“Last autumn, I called for the sharing of the doses ordered by our countries, to ensure both solidarity and health security. This winter I proposed that each country share at least 5% of the doses ordered with the poorest countries. I can already tell you that, as far as France is concerned, this objective will be exceeded by the end of the year. With the European vaccine sharing mechanism via the COVAX initiative that France is inaugurating, we are in concrete solidarity in the fight against the virus, which does not care about borders. Today I call on all my colleagues to join this momentum and make a commitment at Vax Live,” said President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

Fran Katsoudas, EVP and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer of Cisco, said, “At Cisco, our purpose is to power an inclusive future for all, and we know that starts with an inclusive recovery from COVID-19. The private sector has an important role to play in this, and we are proud to make a commitment to COVAX to ensure that health workers and the most vulnerable have fair and equitable access to vaccines.”

“COVAX has helped spur the rapid development of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. But this extraordinary effort will be for naught, if we don’t get vaccines to the people who need them the most. This is the moment for the private sector to step up and support vaccine equity,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi the Vaccine Alliance. “Thank you to Cisco for leading the way with a $5 million contribution to the Gavi COVAX AMC, which will be matched dollar for dollar. We hope that this generous contribution will set an example for others from the private sector to pledge at Global Citizen’s Vax Live event on 8th May.”

VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World will be pre-taped at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on May 2. Airing and live streaming on Saturday, May 8, 2021 on ABC, ABC News Live, CBS, YouTube, iHeartMedia broadcast radio stations and the iHeartRadio App, VAX LIVE will start at 8:00 PM ET/PT, 7:00 PM CT. The concert will also air on FOX at 11:00 PM ET/PT, AXS TV, and will air internationally on Globo in Brazil and Caracol in Colombia, SABC in South Africa and MultiChoice across Africa. As the exclusive global streaming partner, YouTube will stream an extended version of VAX LIVE on the Global Citizen channel for a full run-time of 90 minutes, which will include newly announced exclusive performances from Foo Fighters, Eddie Vedder and J Balvin, alongside previously announced performances and appearances by NCT 127 and Picture This and YouTube creators Daniel El Travieso, Kati Morton, ShootforLove, Thembe Mahlaba and The Try Guys.

“We are proud to partner with an amazing group of selfless frontline heroes, global leaders, civic groups and entertainment superstars to combat the pandemic and support vaccine efforts throughout the world,” said E. Stanley Kroenke, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park Developer and Owner/Chairman of the Los Angeles Rams. “We are honored that such a meaningful and impactful event – Vax Live – is our first event at SoFi Stadium open to the public. Hundreds of millions around the globe will be watching as we raise awareness and the resources desperately needed to bring communities back together again.”

“We are truly grateful for the time, effort and energy that everyone has given to make VAX LIVE a reality within just a few months. We’re thrilled to be hosting Global Citizen’s first live event since the pandemic began alongside these incredible artists, entertainers and individuals who are donating their time to support our mission to achieve vaccine equity and build vaccine confidence globally,” said Katie Hill, SVP, Head of Music, Entertainment & Artist Relations at Global Citizen. “I’m moved by the enthusiasm of every VAX LIVE participant to play a role in ending the COVID-19 pandemic as we all work together to come back, safely.”

VAX LIVE is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Prime Minister of Italy and G20 Chair Mario Draghi, and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez, President of France Emmanuel Macron, and the State of California.

The VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World campaign includes policy partners: The World Health Organization (WHO), The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI), Gavi – The Vaccine Alliance, The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) and UNITAID, and philanthropic partners: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, New Venture Fund and Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy. In partnership with Declan Kelly and Teneo, the global CEO advisory firm, VAX LIVE and Global Citizen’s Recovery Plan for the World are supported by a coalition of Global Partners including: Cisco, Citi, The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Google, Live Nation, P&G, Verizon, and campaign partner WW International.

VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World is executive produced by Global Citizen, the Ad Council & COVID Collaborative, YouTube Originals, iHeartMedia, Teneo and Live Nation. The VAX LIVE broadcast will be executive produced by Casey Patterson and Casey Patterson Entertainment, and Ken Ehrlich. Producers of VAX LIVE, include: Michele Anthony, for Universal Music Group, Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation, John Sykes, President, Entertainment Enterprises at iHeartMedia, Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer & President at iHeartMedia, Declan Kelly, CEO of Teneo, Rob Light, for CAA, Amanda Silverman of The Lede Company, Shawn Sachs & Keleigh Thomas Morgan of Sunshine Sachs, and Diversified Production Services (DPS).

Global Citizen has continued to be at the forefront of the fight to end COVID-19. Last year, together with Lady Gaga, One World: Together: At Home mobilized over $127,9 million in support of healthcare workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and during Global Goal: Unite for Our Future, Global Citizen and the European Commission, secured $1.5 billion in cash grants and $5.4 billion in loans as well as the necessary political support to ensure everyone, everywhere would have access to COVID-19 testing, treatments and vaccines.

For more information about VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World, visit globalcitizen.org/vaxlive and follow @glblctzn on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

ABOUT GLOBAL CITIZEN:
Global Citizen is the world’s largest movement of action takers and impact makers dedicated to ending extreme poverty by 2030. With over 10 million monthly advocates, our voices have the power to drive lasting change around sustainability, equality, and humanity. We post, tweet, message, vote, sign, and call to inspire those who can make things happen to act — government leaders, businesses, philanthropists, artists, and citizens — together improving lives. By downloading our app, Global Citizens learn about the systemic causes of extreme poverty, take action on those issues, and earn rewards with tickets to concerts, events, and experiences all over the world. To date, the actions of our community, along with high-level advocacy efforts and work with partners, has resulted in commitments and policy announcements from leaders valued at $48.4 billion, affecting the lives of more than 880 million people. During last year’s Global Citizen hosted campaigns, One World: Together at Home and Global Goal: Unite for Our Future, we mobilized over $1.5 billion in cash grants, with over $1.1 billion being already disbursed. For more information, visit GlobalCitizen.org.

CONTACT:
Global Citizen Inquiries: media@globalcitizen.org
Media Inquiries: Sunshine Sachs on Behalf of Global Citizen, gc@sunshinesachs.com

SOURCE Global Citizen

Related Links
https://www.globalcitizen.org

IRVINE, Calif., April 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — U.S. Soccer and Hyperice, the industry leader in recovery technology and pioneer of percussion, vibration, dynamic air compression and thermal technology, today announced a multiyear partnership to become the organization’s first-ever Official Recovery Technology Partner.

The partnership, which was facilitated by Soccer United Marketing (SUM), U.S. Soccer’s partner for more than 15 years, provides all of U.S. Soccer’s National Team players and coaches, including the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT), U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT), all 16 Youth National Teams and all Extended U.S. National Teams (Beach, Futsal and Para-7-a-Side) access to Hyperice’s award-winning technologies on the sidelines and during training for key matches, highlighted by the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and upcoming 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar.

U.S. Soccer has worked with Hyperice since 2013 and the products have become a staple among senior players, coaches, high performance staff and athletic trainers. As an extension of the shared history, Hyperice will continue to educate team officials at all levels on the latest innovations in recovery technology and wellness solutions to support player mobility and health.

“Hyperice is an innovative, premium brand that has had a tremendous impact on high performance across the sports industry,” said U.S. Soccer Chief Commercial Officer David Wright. “Our shared vision and commitment to create environments that enable our athletes to perform at their best is core to the strategic partnership.”

“The competition on the world stage is intense and I’m learning that recovery off the field is just as important as the hard work we put in on the field.” said USWNT forward Sophia Smith. “It’s amazing that U.S. Soccer is working with Hyperice to make sure we have the best tools available for recovering off the field so that we are able to compete at the highest level on the field.”

Hyperice has earned unanimous support among major American professional sports leagues and the most elite teams in the world. With U.S. Soccer, Hyperice continues that trend by working with the most marquee team in all of women’s sports. The partnership also enables Hyperice to play a key role in the performance of an ambitious USMNT which is hungry to further establish itself on the world stage.

“U.S. Soccer has long been at the forefront of innovation and research that supports player performance, recovery and wellness,” said Jim Huether, CEO of Hyperice. “At Hyperice, we share this wellness-driven vision and will collaborate with U.S. Soccer to educate the worldwide soccer community about its importance. We look forward to working with both the women’s and men’s national teams to help unlock their greatest potential on and off the field.”

“Soccer United Marketing is proud to facilitate the new partnership between U.S. Soccer and Hyperice,” said Carter Ladd, SVP of Soccer United Marketing. “We are excited to build and share the story of how the partnership will advance recovery and performance across the Federation.”

Both Hyperice and U.S. Soccer also hope the visibility of the partnership will help continue to inspire fans of the world’s most popular sport to stay active, mobile and improve their own health.

The partnership kicks off this week as the USWNT return to action in friendly matches against Sweden on Saturday, April 10 in Stockholm and France on Tuesday, April 13 in Le Havre. After back-to-back wins against Jamaica and at Northern Ireland in March, the USMNT will return May 30 for a friendly against Switzerland, followed by CONCACAF Nations League Finals against Honduras.

ABOUT HYPERICE
Hyperice is on a mission to help the world move better. As the global recovery technology leader, specializing in vibration, percussion and thermal technology, Hyperice is used by the most elite athletes, professional sports leagues and teams to optimize player performance. Hyperice has applied its technology and know-how to industries such as fitness, esports, healthcare, massage, and workplace wellness on a global scale. In March 2020, Hyperice acquired Normatec, innovators of cutting-edge dynamic compression systems, and in December 2020 acquired RecoverX, pioneers of intelligent thermal technologies, to deliver next-generation performance and wellness solutions. For more information, visit www.hyperice.com.

ABOUT U.S. SOCCER
Founded in 1913, the U.S. Soccer Federation has been the official governing body of the sport in the United States for more than 100 years. During that time, the growth of the sport has grown tremendously at all levels. As U.S. Soccer looks towards the future, its mission is to make soccer the preeminent sport in the United States. With a long-term and strategic approach, U.S. Soccer aims to accomplish its mission by supporting its members to increase participation at the youth and adult levels, develop world class players, coaches, and referees to consistently win at the highest levels on the international stage and serve the fans by engaging with them in deeper and more meaningful ways. For more information, visit ussoccer.com.

ABOUT SUM
Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the commercial arm of MLS, is the preeminent commercial soccer enterprise in North America, overseeing the commercialization and marketing execution of the region’s soccer entities. SUM holds the exclusive rights to MLS, the U.S. Soccer Federation, the Mexican National Team (U.S. market), and Concacaf Properties (Gold Cup).

Media Contacts:
Hyperice, Jack Taylor PR
Ross Fenton
415-8722-3489
ross@jacktaylorpr.com

U.S. Soccer
Neil Buethe
312-528-1270

LANCASTER, Pa., April 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Sight & Sound announces its newest original stage production “DAVID,” coming to audiences in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 2022. A state-of-the-art live experience, this brand new production will use theatrical wonders to take audiences inside the story of the legendary figure who notoriously rose from shepherd to king after defeating the giant Goliath.

“This brand new production has been four years in the making and we couldn’t be more excited to finally bring it to the stage,” said Sight & Sound Chief Story Officer Joshua Enck. “David was many different things: a shepherd, king, poet and a warrior. Through this new live-stage production, this powerful yet personal story will come to life like never before.”

The production of ‘DAVID’ will present the familiar Bible story in a fresh way when it premieres on Sight & Sound’s 300-foot panoramic stage in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with massive sets, special effects and original music inspired by the Psalms.

“The show will break down the complexities of who David was,” said Sight & Sound Communications Manager Katie Miller. “We’re excited to take audiences inside his triumphs and struggles as we get to know this king who was known as a man after God’s own heart.”

For more ticket and event information, visit https://www.sight-sound.com/.

Synopsis

Master Poet. Fearless Warrior. Anointed King. From still waters to shadowed valleys, David’s ascent to the throne is filled with towering giants, wild animals and Philistine soldiers.

After unprecedented victories lead to devastating failures, this passionate warrior will face the biggest battle of all: the one within himself. Come alongside this young shepherd on his journey to become a man after God’s own heart.

With original music inspired by the Psalms, “DAVID” is a state-of-the-art theatrical experience for the whole family. Witness one of the most legendary Bible stories as it comes to life with spectacular special effects, massive sets and live animals in this brand-new stage production from Sight & Sound Theatres.

About Sight & Sound Ministries

Sight & Sound® is a ministry on a mission to bring the Bible to life through live theater, television and film. What started over 40 years ago as a traveling multimedia show has today become a destination for over 25 million people. With two state-of-the-art theaters, over 1 million people walk through their doors each year from around the world. In 2005, Sight & Sound began filming and releasing productions on DVD. National distribution came in 2017, when shows first appeared in movie theaters across the country, followed by digital releases on iTunes, Amazon and Hulu. In 2020, Sight & Sound made its first global television and live streaming debut, with more than 3 million viewers tuning in from over 100 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.sight-sound.com.

Contact:
Heidi McDow, A. Larry Ross Communications
972-267-1111
heidi@alarryross.com

SOURCE Sight & Sound

Related Links
https://www.sight-sound.com

LOS ANGELES, April 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Micheaux Film Festival has teamed up with the Oprah Winfrey Network and Sony Entertainment to host their 3rd annual film festival experience. Taking place on April 26th through May 2nd, the event has successfully garnered interest and submissions from notable and star-studded films, such as; Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance (Debbie Allen, Mandy Moore), Dutch (Lance Gross, Kyle Massey, Tyrin Turner), Maternally Yours (Lil Rel Howery) Dead Talks (Denzel Whitaker), The Bay created by 2020 Emmy-award winning director, Gregori Martin which features (Karrueche, Vivica A. Fox, and Kristos Andrews), Red Pill (starring Kathryn Erbe (Law & Order), Ruben Blades (Fear the Walking Dead), Colbie Minifie (The Boys), Catherine Curtin (Stranger Things), and Content is King starring (Taryn Manning (Orange Is The New Black), Vanessa Rubio (Cobra Kai), Austin Pendleton (My Cousin Vinny), Alexander James Rodriguez (Missing Link), Jeremy Luke (This is Us) and Anthony and James Gaudioso (The Duke), Jaime Zevallos (Cloak & Dagger) and the dramatic adaptation of All Boys Aren’t Blue by author George M. Johnson (starring Jenifer Lewis). Tune-in for the latest updates at www.micheauxfilmfest.com!

The Micheaux Film Festival will kick off it’s week long celebration with a series of activations, film screenings, digital panels, master classes, workshops and more. Event sponsors include:

Oprah Winfrey Network
SONY Entertainment
Panavision
Film Independent
IMDB
Final Draft
Film Fatales
Black Radiance
Blackbird House
Emma Bowen Foundation
Recently, event sponsor Panavision has announced that they will be contributing $75K in grant funds to award winners of the festival. “Panavision is honored to partner with the Micheaux Film Festival as the presenting sponsor for the Outstanding Feature Film and Outstanding Short Film categories,” said Panavision President and CEO Kim Snyder. “We share the festival’s dedication to supporting, encouraging, and uplifting those who are underrepresented in the motion-picture industry. Through these grants for the award winners, we hope to foster opportunity and equity for BIPOC and multicultural filmmakers by equipping them with the tools to continue telling their stories.”

Last year’s event featured an over-flow of attendees at the Regal Cinemas at L.A Live. Jam-packed with Hollywood’s most elite producers, directors, writers, and actors – the festival honored Hidden Empire Film Group CEO’s Deon and Roxanne Taylor (Fatale, Black & Blue); and featured 2021 NAACP award winning filmmaker, Martina Lee and Emmy-nominated actress and creator, Christina Cooper.

For more information and updates, or to register for this event, please visit: www.micheauxfilmfest.com

Contact:
Ariana Drummond
3109065120
306850@email4pr.com

PITTSBURGH, April 5, 2021  — DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the largest U.S.-based, omni-channel sporting goods retailer, will expand its nationwide footprint with the grand opening of its first-ever DICK’S House of Sport, a new concept store, in Victor, NY on April 9, two Warehouse Sale locations and experiential Soccer Shops in select locations in April.

https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8858253-dicks-sporting-goods-grand-opening-house-of-sport-golf-galaxy/

This month, the retailer will also debut nine newly redesigned Golf Galaxy locations and expanded technology offerings in 62 additional Golf Galaxy locations in select cities across the country.

These new additions will bring approximately 260 collective jobs to communities through the hiring of full-time, part-time and temporary associates for the stores.

DICK’S House of Sport will explore the future of retail through multi-sport experiences inside and outside the store, broad integration with the community, elevated customer service that will rely on passionate and skilled employees and enhanced technology for ease of connection with the brand.  The store will feature a 17,000 sq. ft. outdoor turf field and running track, a rock-climbing wall, a batting cage with HitTrax™ technology, golf hitting bays with TrackMan™ simulators, a putting green, the company’s first-ever “House of Cleats” that will seasonally rotate product, a health and wellness destination to help customers with recovery and well-being, and a consolidated service area for breaking in gloves, stringing lacrosse sticks and building/repairing bikes.  Further, it will showcase best-in-class athletic and outdoor apparel brands, a vast selection of footwear, the latest gear for team sports and top-of-the-line equipment for golf and fitness. Later this year, the Company will open its second DICK’S House of Sport location in Knoxville, TN.

DICK’S Sporting Goods Warehouse Sale locations will offer deep discounts on customer-favorite footwear and apparel brands with hundreds of items 70% off or more.

The redesigned Golf Galaxy stores will offer golfers of all levels an immersive golf experience, providing access to industry-leading TrackMan™ and BioMech™ Golf technologies, state-of-the-art hitting bays, custom fittings, golf lessons from Class A Certified PGA and LPGA Professionals and the best equipment, apparel and footwear from top golf brands such as Callaway, TaylorMade, PING, Titleist, Nike, adidas, Under Armour, PUMA and more. The retailer will open additional remodeled locations later this year.

DICK’S Soccer Shops will offer a high level of service from in-store soccer experts who are specially trained to help customers find the equipment they need and the right fit for their cleats to excel at the game. The Soccer Shops will feature a variety of updated in-store elements including an elevated cleat shop, licensed jersey cubes and soccer trial cages in select locations. All Soccer Shops will open on April 5.

DICK’S House Sport, Golf Galaxy store locations and select Soccer Shops will host ribbon cutting ceremonies to kick off their opening weekend celebrations and customers will have the opportunity to win giveaways. Visit dicks.com/HouseOfSportROC and golfgalaxy.com for full details on the Grand Openings.

Following the store openings, DICK’S will have 730 DICK’S Sporting Goods stores nationwide in 47 states.

About DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. 
Founded in 1948, DICK’S Sporting Goods is a leading omni-channel sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. As of January 30, 2021, the Company operated 728 DICK’S Sporting Goods locations across the United States, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a combination of its dedicated teammates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops dedicated to Team Sports, Athletic Apparel, Golf, Outdoor, Fitness and Footwear.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, DICK’S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream specialty stores, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications, live scorekeeping and video streaming. DICK’S offers its products through a dynamic eCommerce platform that is integrated with its store network and provides athletes with the convenience and expertise of a 24-hour storefront. For more information, visit the Investor Relations page at dicks.com.

About Golf Galaxy
Golf Galaxy, LLC is a specialty golf retailer offering a broad assortment of golf equipment, apparel and footwear from leading brands like Callaway, Taylormade, Titleist, Ping, Nike, Under Armour and more, and a complete range of golf services from PGA and LPGA professionals, certified fitting experts and club technicians. As of January 30, 2021, Golf Galaxy operated 98 stores. For more information, visit GolfGalaxy.com.

CONTACTS: DICK’S Sporting Goods, 724-273-5552, press@dcsg.com  
Category: Company

SOURCE DICK’S Sporting Goods

Related Links

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com

NEW YORK—Apr. 5, 2021– ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC, VIACA) today announced that ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) has agreed to acquire Chilevisión from WarnerMedia, a division of AT&T (NYSE:T).

Through the transaction, VCNI further expands its footprint in Latin America and bolsters its streaming business with a new premium content library and pipeline to fuel the increasing demand for Spanish language content across platforms including Paramount+ and Pluto TV. The acquisition will benefit consumers and partners by offering even more diverse entertainment options across premium, pay and free platforms.

The deal will strengthen and expand VCNI’s presence in the Southern Cone of Latin America by creating an aligned commercial, content and distribution strategy. The acquisition will include Chilevisión’s market leading free-to-air (FTA) television network, which will complement VCNI’s global content offering. Chilevisión attracted approximately 24* percent share of viewership in 2020. (*2020 SOV from IBOPE (FTA, total households, 6am-2am).

Chilevisión’s library is comprised of substantial content spanning multiple genres including sports, entertainment, and news, and it has vast production capabilities. These attributes, in combination with Chilevisión network’s reach, and a windowing strategy of its content pipeline through free, paid, and premium, will serve as a valuable marketing vehicle for VCNI’s streaming platforms in the region, and expand VCNI’s studio and linear presence in the region.

“Latin America is one of the world’s fastest-growing streaming markets, and Chilevisión will be a key driver of our accelerated streaming strategy in the region,” said Raffaele Annecchino, President and CEO, ViacomCBS Networks International. “Chilevisión is an extraordinary addition to our existing business in Latin America and will fortify ViacomCBS’s position as a premier Spanish language content producer.”

Chilevisión will fall under the leadership of Juan “JC” Acosta, President of ViacomCBS International Studios and Networks Americas. The acquisition joins the ViacomCBS Americas portfolio, which includes the premium SVOD service, Paramount+; top FAST service Pluto TV; Nickelodeon’s interactive learning service for preschoolers, Noggin; ViacomCBS International Studios production hub; FTA broadcaster Telefe; more than 10 branded pay TV networks, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and Comedy Central, among others; multiple on-the-ground events and experiences; and an extensive consumer products catalogue. VCNI Americas has offices in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia.

The purchase price of the acquisition will be financed by ViacomCBS’s existing cash balances. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI)

ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC), is comprised of many of the world’s most iconic consumer brands. Its portfolio includes Channel 5, Telefe, Network 10, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Network, as well as streaming services Paramount+ and PlutoTV, and ViacomCBS International Studios, among others. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS Networks International provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions for partners on five continents and across more than 180 countries.

About WarnerMedia

WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. The organization also includes Xandr’s suite of advanced advertising solutions designed to help to improve advertising for brands, publishers, and consumers.

NEW YORK – Mar. 25, 2021– CBS Sports and Lega Serie A today announced the details of a multi-platform agreement for exclusive U.S. rights to the Serie A Championship, the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana.

Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ subscription streaming service, will deliver more than 400 club matches live each season through 2024, featuring all 380 Serie A matches, at least 25 Coppa Italia matches including all contests from the fourth knockout round on, and the Supercoppa Italiana match each year between the winners of Serie A and Coppa Italia. Select matches will be televised each year on CBS Sports linear platforms including CBS Sports Network.

“We are building critical mass in soccer, and the addition of Serie A, Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana is another major step in the expansion of CBS Sports’ extensive lineup of live soccer coverage on Paramount+ and across our linear and digital platforms,” said Jeffrey Gerttula, Executive Vice President & General Manager, CBS Sports Digital. “Showcasing this historic league and some of the world’s biggest clubs is a tremendous opportunity to further grow the sport in the U.S. by delivering first-class coverage to a dedicated and passionate audience.”

“We express great satisfaction for the assignment of the audiovisual rights to Serie A and the Coppa Italia, for the three-year period 21/24, to a major network like CBS Sports,” said Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo. “In a strategic area like the United States of America this agreement confirms the growth of the international image of the Serie A brand through an important partner like CBS Sports. Today it is not a point of arrival, but rather the beginning of a process of investments in human resources and editorial contents to support the continued growth of Serie A in the North America territory. This is the result of the work of the last 18 months and of the increasing number of American owners who have decided to invest in our teams.”

CBS Sports begins coverage in August with the start of the 2021-2022 Serie A season. Additional coverage details will be announced in the coming months in conjunction with the 2021-2022 Serie A and Coppa Italia schedules.

CBS Sports Digital will deliver additional coverage and original programming and feature highlights across social channels and CBS Sports HQ, the 24/7 streaming sports news network.

Paramount+, a leading destination for U.S. soccer fans, features more than a thousand live matches each year across an extensive portfolio of soccer properties, including UEFA club competitions, NWSL, Concacaf Men’s World Cup Qualifiers, Liga Profesional de Fútbol, and Serie A.

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NEW YORK–Mar. 18, 2021– The National Football League (NFL) and ViacomCBS announced today a new 11-year multiplatform rights agreement that extends CBS’ long-standing relationship with the NFL through the 2033 season. CBS Sports continues as the home of the NFL’s American Football Conference (AFC), featuring many of the game’s brightest young stars, with all games broadcast on the CBS Television Network and streamed live on Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ flagship streaming service. This historic agreement also grants an expansive list of NFL rights across ViacomCBS networks and platforms, enabling the company to maximize its content creation, distribution and reach throughout the length of the deal.

The new agreement, which begins with the 2023 season, allows for CBS Sports to broadcast and stream more Sunday afternoon games than ever before and also includes an expanded schedule of games featuring teams from the National Football Conference (NFC). In addition, the schedule is highlighted by 10 CBS doubleheaders, including the NFL’s most-watched window Sundays at 4:25 PM ET, eight singleheaders and the annual Thanksgiving Day game. CBS Sports will broadcast three Super Bowls over the length of the deal, including the first in the new agreement, Super Bowl LVIII in 2024, as well as Super Bowl LXII in 2028 and Super Bowl LXVI in 2032.

The CBS Television Network and Paramount+ will also present a full slate of playoff games each season, featuring the AFC Championship game, one Divisional game and one Wild Card game. A second Wild Card game will be added to the CBS Sports lineup during the 2024, 2029 and 2033 seasons.

ViacomCBS will retain its extensive in-market exclusivity, ensuring that the CBS-affiliated stations and ViacomCBS platforms will continue to be the source for local availability of THE NFL ON CBS. CBS will also gain increased rights to protect games from being flexed to other networks and time slots.

Paramount+ has been granted new and expanded rights for the streaming service, allowing for the flexibility to distribute NFL games on both the premium tier at $9.99 and the new $4.99 ad-supported tier that will debut in June. The rights begin with the 2021 season and extend throughout the length of the new deal to 2033.

“We are thrilled to extend and expand our long-term partnership with the NFL to create even more value for ViacomCBS and for NFL fans,” said Bob Bakish, President and CEO, ViacomCBS. “Today’s groundbreaking deal ensures that more big games will be available on CBS and Paramount+, with greater NFL programming opportunities featured across all ViacomCBS platforms including Pluto TV, vastly expanding the NFL’s reach among younger audiences in a rapidly evolving media landscape. NFL football is both a pillar of CBS Sports and huge differentiator for our streaming strategy, and our extensive partnership with the NFL will be fundamental to further driving growth and engagement on Paramount+ for years to come.”

“CBS’ NFL programming creates value for every one of our key constituents – our audience, advertisers, owned stations and affiliates, as well as our pay-tv distribution partners. It is must-have content that stands above the crowd in a fragmented television universe,” said George Cheeks, President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Entertainment Group. “The NFL ON CBS has been a vital part of our broadcasting business for decades and it will be a powerful driver of our streaming success in the decade ahead. Our brands share a great history and a very exciting future together.”

“The NFL has been a cornerstone of CBS Sports programming for more than 60 years. We are extremely pleased to extend our long-standing partnership with the NFL for the next decade,” said Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports. “The NFL is the most valuable content in all of media, and we are excited that the deal allows for more Sunday afternoon games than ever before and we retain the NFL’s most-watched time slot. This wide-ranging deal includes significantly expanded rights, and we look forward to continued growth and to maximizing the enormous value of the NFL across all of our CBS Sports platforms.”

The landmark NFL/ViacomCBS agreement includes a wide array of expanded rights, ensuring that as the media landscape evolves, ViacomCBS has extensive rights to innovate its content creation and distribution, reaching a variety of audiences across its various networks, properties and platforms. The broad rights grant includes expanded rights across CBS’ digital and social platforms, and the ability to implement interactive features for consumers on Paramount+ and via ViacomCBS’ distribution partners. The company also has the capability to collaborate with the NFL to create alternate game telecasts, similar to the highly acclaimed, family-friendly Wild Card playoff game production on Nickelodeon this past January. Additionally, CBS has the opportunity to partner with the NFL for legalized sports betting applications.

ViacomCBS and the NFL have also agreed to long-term rights extensions for CBS Sports HQ, Pluto TV and INSIDE THE NFL, which will stream exclusively on Paramount+ beginning with the 2021 season.

CBS Sports first began televising NFL regular-season games in 1956, and this season marks its 62^nd season. CBS Sports had broadcast rights to the National Football Conference package from 1970 through 1993 and began televising the American Football Conference package in 1998.

The NFL has a one-time right to opt out of this long-term multiplatform rights agreement after the 2029 season.

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