NEW YORK -- Sept. 25, 2012 -- HTN Communications LLC (HTN) today announced that DIRECTV Sports Networks, parent company of ROOT SPORTS(TM), has renewed its contract with HTN to provide A/V backhaul services for ROOT SPORTS' away broadcasts of all Pittsburgh Penguins hockey games, as well as Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and Seattle Mariners baseball games. In addition, HTN will now provide full-time connectivity between ROOT SPORTS' regional studios in Pittsburgh, Denver, and Bellevue, Wash., and its master control location, managed by Encompass in Atlanta, to facilitate studio shows as well as pre- and postgame broadcasts.
"Our vision is to be the strongest regional sports network brand in America and provide a unique and special experience for local fans, sponsors, teams, and media partners. HTN provides the highest levels of reliability and quality in fiber backhaul and regional connectivity services, which helps us deliver on that promise," said DIRECTV Sports Networks Vice President of Content Bill Roberts.
"We're pleased to continue our partnership with ROOT SPORTS and look forward to continuing in our role as transmission provider for this leader in the world of regional sports broadcasting," said Christian Kneuer, senior director of operations and client relations at HTN.
More information about HTN products and solutions is available at www.htncom.com.
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About DIRECTV Sports Networks
Seattle-based DIRECTV Sports Networks is a wholly owned subsidiary of DIRECTV and operates three regional sports networks branded as ROOT SPORTS(TM). The three networks (based in Bellevue WA, Denver CO, and Pittsburgh PA) are distributed in 18 states and hold exclusive regional telecast rights to over twenty professional and collegiate teams, including the Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, Pittsburgh Penguins, Utah Jazz, Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers, Gonzaga University, University of Denver and Seattle University. The ROOT SPORTS networks also have exclusive national distribution rights for the Big Sky Conference, as well as distributing Big 12, Pac-12, Mountain West, Conference USA and other collegiate football and basketball games. More information is available at www.rootsports.com.
About HTN Communications LLC
HTN Communications LLC, formerly Hughes Television Network, is the longest tenured sports television and radio transmission provider in North America -- offering packaged transmission services for broadcast, cable, and radio rights holders. HTN launched services in the 1960s with its first backhaul provider, the Madison Square Garden Network (MSGN), and added the New England Sports Network (NESN) in the 1970s. In the last decade, the company has grown steadily through partnerships with YES Network (New York Yankees), Altitude Sports Network, MASN (Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals), STO (Cleveland Indians), and ROOT SPORTS(TM). Today, HTN offers seamless point-to-multipoint live HD transmission from every Major League Baseball (MLB(R)), National Basketball Association (NBA(R)), and National Hockey League (NHL(R)) sports venue to any site worldwide and provides services for a broad range of entertainment events and news media outlets. Since 2009, HTN has provided fiber transmission services for the Major League Baseball Network's Ball Park Cam, providing coverage from all 30 MLB stadiums in the U.S. With unparalleled industry experience and a network tailored to the sports market, HTN Communications provides its clients with flexibility and reliability on which they can depend. More information is available at www.htncom.com.
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