Man United launches TV station
Fans can pay for everything but Premier League games
Posted: Monday August 10, 1998 11:48 AM
MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Manchester United on Monday unveiled
MUTV, a television station which is eventually expected to be
broadcast to the Premier League soccer team's estimated 8 million
supporters around the world.
MUTV, the first station of its kind in soccer, will go on air
from September 10 on the Sky network, initially targeting about 4
million supporters in England for a subscription fee of about 5
pounds ($8.20) a month.
Britain's biggest club joined forces with the Sky broadcasting
network and Granada media to create the new channel, which will
broadcast six hours every day from 6 p.m. local time to midnight.
The programming will include live youth and reserve matches,
features and news -- but will not include live Premier League
matches.
A studio has been built at the club's Old Trafford ground and
another will be incorporated in its new training complex, which is
under construction at Carrington on the outskirts of Manchester.
A staff of about 50 has been recruited to work on the station.
Manchester United chief executive Paul Ridley said the concept
was "revolutionary."
"There isn't a Manchester United fan in the world who doesn't
want more access to the club and the players," Ridley said.
The starting date for the station's worldwide distribution was
not specified.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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