WWOR ANNOUNCES LIVE BROADCASTS OF SIX WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC GAMES

February 23, 2005, New York, N.Y. – WWOR-Channel 9 will showcase many of the world’s best baseball players, with six live broadcasts of the inaugural World Baseball Classic, the first-ever global baseball tournament featuring teams from 16 countries. WWOR will air six games, including four during primetime, beginning Friday, March 3 until Tuesday, March 14.

“As the official broadcast home of the New York Yankees, we are thrilled to be associated with the inaugural World Baseball Classic,” said Lew Leone, WWOR vice president and general manager. “New Yorkers love baseball and we are delighted to bring this historical sporting event into their homes as the exclusive broadcast partner in the New York market.”

Korea vs. China kicks-off WWOR-CH. 9’s live WBC broadcasts on Friday, March 3 at 9 p.m. Nearly a week later, Canada faces Mexico at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 9. It’s a double-header on Friday, March 10, starting with Team USA’s match-up against South Africa at 3 p.m. and Puerto Rico against Cuba at 7:30 p.m. Additional match-ups will also be broadcast on WWOR-CH. 9 on Sunday, March 12 for an afternoon game at 1 p.m., and an evening contest at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14. A recap of Channel 9’s World Baseball Classic broadcast schedule is below:

Korea vs. China - Friday, March 3, 2006 at 9 p.m.

Canada vs. Mexico - Thursday, March 9, 2006 at 8 p.m.

USA vs. South Africa - Friday, March 10, 2006 at 3 p.m.

Puerto Rick vs. Cuba - Friday, March 10, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.

TEAMS TBD - Sunday, March 12, 2006 at 1 p.m.

TEAMS TBD - Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at 7 p.m.

The World Baseball Classic matches teams from 16 countries and territories playing in Tokyo, Puerto Rico and sites throughout the United States from Friday, March 3 to Monday, March 20. Approximately 60 percent of the WBC players are from Major League Baseball, including 34 members of the New York Yankees and Mets. Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Al Leiter and former Yankees ace Roger Clemens are among members of Team USA. Pedro Martinez and Robinson Cano are representing the Dominican Republic and Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang anchors Chinese Tapei (Taiwan). Mets stars Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado are competing for Puerto Rico, and former catcher Mike Piazza is playing for Italy.

The WBC will feature a bracket-style format with 16 teams competing in four groups; the 16 teams that have been invited to participate and potential pools follow: Pool A – China, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Japan, Korea; Pool B – Canada, Mexico, South Africa, United States; Pool C – Cuba, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico; Pool D – Australia, Dominican Republic, Italy, Venezuela. The winner of Pools A/B will meet the winner of Pools C/D in the final from Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. WBC, Inc. has organized this first global baseball event in conjunction with the national organizing bodies of the 16 countries and territories.

ESPN, the leading multimedia sports entertainment company, licensed the tourney from Major League Baseball; top national syndicator Buena Vista Television is handling domestic broadcast distribution of a portion of the games on behalf of ESPN.

WWOR-Channel 9 is one of two FOX owned-and-operated stations in New York, the nation’s No. 1 TV market. FOX Television Stations, Inc. is one of the nation's largest owned-and-operated network broadcast groups, and consists of 35 stations in 26 markets covering nearly 45 percent of U.S. television homes.

-WWOR-CH. 9-