Indy Eleven Extends TV Deal
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndy Eleven Professional Soccer has extended its television broadcast partnership deal. The agreement with WISH-TV in Indianapolis runs through the 2016 North American Soccer League season.
February 17, 2015
News Release
Indianapolis, Ind. — Indy Eleven Professional Soccer is proud to announce the “Boys in Blue” will stay in the WISH-TV family, as Indiana's Team and Indianapolis' CW affiliate today renewed their television broadcast partnership through 2016, covering the team's next two seasons of play in the North American Soccer League.
“WISH-TV's professionalism and first-class broadcasts were pivotal to Indy Eleven's successful introduction to the Central Indiana community throughout our inaugural season,” said Larry Linde, Indy Eleven's Director of Corporate Partnerships & Broadcasting. “Everyone at the club is thrilled to continue working with the WISH-TV family to provide even more extensive coverage of 'Indiana's Team' across the next two years on game days and beyond.”
The renewed partnership will see Indy Eleven games reach an expanded audience on WISH-TV 8 beginning with this season, when all of the squad's 15 NASL regular season home games will be televised live and over-the-air. The broadcast slate on WISH-TV will begin on Saturday, April 11, at IUPUI's Michael A. Carroll Stadium, when Indy Eleven starts its home schedule with a high-profile clash against the New York Cosmos at 7:30 p.m. ET.
“We are excited to once again partner with Indy Eleven to broadcast professional soccer into homes all across Central Indiana,” said Les Vann, WISH-TV president and general manager. “Together, Indy Eleven and WISH-TV are bringing this great sport to Hoosiers, giving them a front row seat. We're proud to continue to have the opportunity to work with such an innovative organization and to further WISH-TV's 60-year commitment of bringing viewers the best local programming. We look forward to another successful season together.”
Indy Eleven and WISH-TV are proud to welcome the team of play-by-play man Greg Rakestraw and color analyst Brad Hauter back to the broadcast booth for season two at “The Mike.” In addition to the two-hour game broadcast window from 7:30-9:30 p.m., Indy Eleven and WISH-TV have also committed to bring back the “Honda Postgame Show,” a 30-minute recap of that night's action including highlights and interviews with head coaches from both teams and a member of the Indy Eleven squad.
In conjunction with the WISH-TV agreement, Indy Eleven has also announced that Indianapolis-based Webstream Sports, a leading provider of video production services, will handle all production duties for gameday broadcasts over the course of the two-year partnership. WebStream Sports has become an industry leader in live sports broadcasts, utilizing highly efficient production methods. Formed in 2006, the privately held company has produced events that have aired on ESPNU, ESPN3, CBS Sports Network, Fox Sports Indiana, Comcast Sports Net, Sports Time Ohio and more.
“WebStream Sports is thrilled to a part of the Indy Eleven and WISH-TV broadcast partnership,” said Greg Weitekamp, President and COO of WebStream Sports. “We are looking forward to delivering high quality productions that will tell the story of the Indy Eleven season and bring fans closer to the team and each game on WISH-TV.”
Fans seeking Indy Eleven's home schedule can visit www.indyeleven.com/schedule, or click here to download a PDF version of the team's full 2015 NASL schedule.
About Indy Eleven Professional Soccer
After selling out all 14 home games of its 2014 Inaugural Season in the North American Soccer League (NASL), a professional soccer league based in the United States and Canada, Indy Eleven is now preparing for its second season beginning in April 2015. The squad contests its home games at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on the campus of IUPUI in downtown Indianapolis, where an average of nearly 10,500 fans helped Indy Eleven lead the growing league in attendance during its first season.
Born Indy Pro Soccer after launching as the 11th member of the North American Soccer League on January 16, 2013, Indy Eleven established its identity 99 days later on the 152nd anniversary of the establishment of the 11th Indiana Regiment during the Civil War on April 25, 1861. The mission of Indy Eleven – “To win championships with and for the community” – stays true to its aim of fielding a team that will represent Indiana proudly on and off the field.
About WISH-TV
WISH-TV has continued to set the standard for television excellence in Central Indiana, since 1954. The station has been honored as “Television Station of the Year” by the Indiana Broadcasters Association, for its “Overall Excellence” by the Edward R. Murrow Awards, and as “Outstanding News Operation,” “Outstanding Weather Operation,” “Best Newscast” and “Best Website” by the Indiana Associated Press Broadcast Association. 24-Hour News 8 provides around the clock news, weather and information through its television newscasts and digital platforms. WISH-TV, an affiliate of The CW network, is a Media General station serving more than 1.5 million households. (Estimate according to the Indianapolis Nielsen Station Index)
Source: Indy Eleven Professional Soccer
