The excitement of NFL football will again be available to fans in Japan, thanks to the renewal of several television agreements with longtime partners.
NHK, NTV and Gaora will provide viewers unique and innovative coverage of America’s most popular sport, which kicks off its 85th season on Thursday, September 9 when the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots host the Indianapolis Colts.
‘We are very pleased that NHK, NTV and Gaora will continue to bring the many NFL fans in Japan outstanding coverage of our sport,’ said KATIE BOES, NFL senior director of international media. ‘Our goal in reaching agreement with each broadcaster was to be able to provide NFL action to all fans in Japan, regardless of their chosen broadcast medium at home.’
NHK will continue to broadcast ABC’s NFL Monday Night Football and has exclusive pay television and high definition rights to broadcast the Super Bowl live in Japan.
Two games per week will be aired on NHK-BS available in 13 million homes, and one game each week on NHK Hi-Vision, the network’s 24-hour high definition channel.
NHK will continue to produce NFL Weekly, a 30-minute recap of all the week’s action, as well as incorporate NFL Network and NFL Films programming into many of their existing news and sports shows.
An NFL broadcaster since 1989, NHK’s renewal extends through the 2006 season.
Gaora, a satellite sports channel seen in more than four million homes throughout Japan, will broadcast up to six games per week. The network will continue to produce its own localized 30-minute, bi-weekly NFL-themed show starring Japanese football great HAYATO ARIMA and former San Diego Chargers cheerleader YOKO YAGISHITA, as well as broadcast an array of NFL Films archive programs and segments from NFL Network.
Gaora will have exclusive rights to broadcast the NFL Europe League in Japan during the length of its agreement, which also expires following the 2006 NFL season. Gaora has been an NFL broadcaster since 1990.
The NFL’s agreement with NTV was executed in 2001 and runs through the 2006 season. The deal was recently amended, however, to provide NTV with broader distribution rights for its all-sports satellite channel, G+.
NTV is the NFL’s terrestrial broadcaster in Japan, reaching 44 million homes. An NFL partner since 1989, NTV will continue to produce its popular weekly 30-minute terrestrial NFL-themed show, NFL Club.
Contact:
Pete Abitante (212/450-2065)