GOL TV

Infobox_TV_channel
name= GOL TV
logofile=GolTV logo.png logoalt=GolTV logo
logosize=200px
slogan=
launch= February, 2003
former names=
owner= Tenfield (100%)
slogan= Tu fútbol, tu canal (Spanish for "Your football, your channel")
Experience Soccer (English)
web = [http://www.goltv.tv goltv.tv]
terr avail=Not Available
sat serv 1=DirecTV
sat chan 1=Channel 426 or 620
cable serv 1 = Available on select US cable systems
cable chan 1 = Check Local Listings for channels
picture format = 480i (NTSC)
|

GOL TV is the first television network dedicated fully to association football (soccer) 24/7 in the United States. It is based in North Bay Village, Florida and is owned by GOLTV Inc. The network covers a wide range of football matches all over the world, including the Spanish League, German League, Copa del Rey, Coppa Italia and many leagues from South America and Central America. Games on GOL TV are broadcast in both English and Spanish. Many subscribers can get both audios and choose which one to hear using the Secondary audio program (abbreviated as "SAP") feature on their television sets.

Ownership

Montevideo, Uruguay-based broadcasting corporation Tenfield SA is the parent company of GOL TV. Enzo Francescoli is its CEO and Managing Director.

Programming

Europe

*Spanish Primera Division (La Liga) - contract runs through 2008-2009 season. GOL TV has sublicensed a "1st choice" match each week to Voom HD Networks for live exclusive broadcast on World Sport HD, except for those between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, which air live on both channels. Phil Schoen and Ray Hudson provide English-language commentary remotely from GOL TV's Florida studio.
*German Bundesliga and German League Cup - contract runs through 2008-2009 season
*Coppa Italia - contract runs through 2009-2010 season
*AC Milan Channel - AC Milan matches in the UEFA Champions League, delayed to Thursdays at 9pm US Eastern Time
*Copa del Rey- contract runs through 2008-2009 season

outh America

*Colombian Professional Football
*Ecuadorian Serie A
*Primera División Uruguaya
*Copa América 2007 (coverage in English only)

Central America

*CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers
*Liga Nacional de Guatemala

Other matches

GOL TV broadcasts select international matches, including friendlies and qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup and European Championship. Beginning in 2008, these will include home games of the German and Italian national teams.

Other programs

* "AC Milan Channel" - A weekly magazine show featuring Italian club AC Milan, airs on Fridays at 9:00pm US Eastern Time.
* "American Soccer" - A show that reviews what's happening in soccer in the United States from the World Cup to youth soccer. American Soccer covers all levels of soccer with weekly updates from Major League Soccer, USL First Division and the growing number of US players abroad. The show is hosted by veteran soccer announcer Phil Schoen, with co-hosts Julian Gonzalez and Kelly O'Donnell providing analysis, debate, discussion and interviews. Airs Wednesdays at 8pm US Eastern Time.
* "Bundesliga magazine" - A weekly series that focuses on the lifestyles of the stars of the German Bundesliga, airs on Fridays at 8:30 pm US Eastern Time.
* "FIFA Futbol Mundial" - An in-depth weekly magazine show that features mini documentaries, interviews and human interest stories that highlights the most significant and current happenings from the world of soccer. Airs Fridays at 8:00pm US Eastern Time.
* "GOL TV News" - Daily newscast hosted by Pablo Alsina and Andres Cordero that airs twice each day and is devoted exclusively to Soccer. With all the goals, interviews, analysis and transfer news. Mondays-Fridays at 7pm and 11pm US Eastern Time and Sundays at 9pm US Eastern Time.
* "Hallo! Bundesliga" - A weekly series that provides a recap and highlights of all the games from the Bundesliga in Germany, airs on Tuesdays at 8pm US Eastern Time.
* "Portugol" - A weekly series that provides a recap and highlights of all the games from the Superliga in Portugal, airs on Wednesdays at 8pm US Eastern Time.
* "Soccer Cam" - A program in which videos from the audience showing their football are shown. Videos can be sent through the network's website. Airs Thursdays 8:00pm US Eastern Time.

Latest deals and growth

*On January 11 of 2005, GOL TV Inc. reached a distribution agreement with DIRECTV to offer GOL TV and distribute it as part of the DIRECTV PARA TODOS and the DIRECTV SPORTS packages. Dish Network previously had satellite exclusivity.

*On July 21 of 2005, Coca-Cola reached an agreement with GOL TV to promote not only its product but advertising channels as well. The new airing of 'Sabor a Gol' every Friday at 8:50pm and at 1:20am US eastern time is a weekly five minute segment showing goals from local and international leagues and tournaments from around the world that are sponsored by Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola deal comes after a similar deal with Volkswagen much earlier this year which resulted in the airing of a show called 'Volkswagen Gol'. 'Volkswagen Gol' was formerly called 'A Todo Gol'. After two years, GOL TV now has close to eight million viewers.

*In March 2007, SCP Worldwide announced that it had offered to buy 80% of GolTV for $200 million.cite news | first=John | last=Dempsey| title=SCP kicks in coin for soccer's GolTV | date=2007-03-05 | publisher=Reed Elsevier Inc. | url =http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117960548.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 | work =Variety | accessdate = 2007-06-13] The deal fell through, but SCP Worldwide and GolTV agreed to produce and distribute the first four rounds of South American FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying games.cite news | title=SCP Worldwide, GolTV to distribute FIFA World Cup qualifiers | date=2007-07-23 | publisher=American City Business Journals, Inc. | url =http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2007/07/23/daily15.html | work =St. Louis Business Journal | accessdate = 2007-09-14] GolTV showed all 20 games on their own network, 4 live, and 16 premiered 48 hours later. All games were shown live on pay-per-view, broadband and cable.

*In August 2008, Dish Network permanently removed GOL TV from its programming because of alleged contract disputes.cite web|url=http://www.epltalk.com/goltv-removed-from-dish-network/2792|date=2008-08-02|accessdate=2008-08-02|title=GOL TV Removed from Dish Network] This gives DIRECTV satellite exclusivity to GOLTV for many years to come.

Rival channels

*Fox Soccer Channel
*Setanta Sports North America

References

* [http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=15472&page=2 Gol TV Celebrates First Anniversary]
* "http://www.pressi.com/int/printable/75212.html"
* "http://www.pressi.com/int/printable/59034.html"

ee also

* GolTV Canada
* List of DirecTV channels
* List of Dish Network channels

External links

* [http://www.goltv.tv Official Site]
* [http://www.goltvcanada.ca Gol TV Canada]
* [http://www.goltvlat.com Gol TV Latinoamérica]
* [http://epltalk.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=204764 EPL Talk Video Podcast featuring GolTV and American Soccer]