Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Fox Sports Announces EL RETO FINAL NISSAN - Reality Show With One-Of-A-Kind Soccer Match With USA And Mexico

Nissan Launches EL RETO FINAL NISSAN Reality Show; Five-Part Original Programming Entitled EL RETO FINAL NISSAN Will Premiere on Fox Sports en Espanol in April

For the first time ever, U.S. and Mexico soccer fans will get a chance to relive old memories with EL RETO FINAL NISSAN, a five-part reality show and a one-of-a-kind soccer match that will crown North America´s ultimate champion once and for all. The groundbreaking reality series will air exclusively in Spanish on Fox Sports en Espanol, starting on Sunday, April 16, at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT. The historic rematch, which will take place at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California, on Sunday, May 21, will be telecasted live in Spanish by Fox Sports en Espanol and in English on Fox Soccer Channel.

"EL RETO FINAL NISSAN is a unique programming concept that celebrates the passion fans have for soccer, their team, and their rivals," said Jan Thompson, vice president of marketing for Nissan North America. "It´s a natural fit for Nissan to own this type of innovative, branded entertainment because it´s bold, exciting, and represents a ´shift´ in soccer telecasts. Overall, it will be a fun program to follow for all soccer enthusiasts gearing up for the World Cup season."

In 1997, Mexico and the U.S. competed with each other twice to qualify for the 1998 World Cup. Both games resulted in a draw. This time, there will be no draw thanks to EL RETO FINAL NISSAN. The reality series tells the story of the original matches and of the intense competition that characterizes them through archival footage of the games and interviews with the players and devoted fans. In five, unscripted episodes, players who qualified for the U.S. and Mexico teams nine years ago will be ambushed, persuaded to join their former colleagues, and put through intense training sessions and practices to prepare them for the rematch. The program´s host, known only as George, will lead viewers through the excitement.

"We´re proud to partner with Nissan to bring our viewers and Latino soccer enthusiasts what will undoubtedly be one of this year´s must-watch television events," said David Sternberg, executive vice president and general manager of Fox Sports en Espanol. "EL RETO FINAL NISSAN is the perfect complement to our year-long, exclusive coverage of the best in Latin American soccer. This unprecedented reality series and historic encounter between Mexico and the United States is just one example of what our viewers can expect as Fox Sports en Espanol continues to expand beyond traditional advertising and break new ground in branded entertainment programming."

Fans and soccer enthusiasts interested in learning more about EL RETO FINAL NISSAN should visit www.nissanusa.com/espanol where they can click on the EL RETO FINAL NISSAN logo for background information on their favorite teams, player profiles, programming details and news updates. Fans can also enter, via the website, a national sweepstakes where three grand-prize winners will receive a deluxe trip for four to the final match at The Home Depot Center in California. Winners will participate in a meet-and-greet with the players and coaches, a behind-the-scenes tour of The Home Depot Center, as well as exclusive access to a deluxe-viewing suite with catering and player appearances. Tickets for the May 21st rematch can be purchased through Ticketmaster.