Comcast Celebrates Father's Day with Launch of NESN HD, ESPN2 HD

Comcast Celebrates Father's Day with Launch of NESN HD, ESPN2 HD

Recognizes New England Dads with Expansion of Comprehensive High-Definition Lineup

BOSTON, June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast, New England's premier provider of high-definition (HD) programming, today teamed up with NESN and ESPN to deliver Dads in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine a special Father's Day gift by adding NESN and ESPN2 to its already comprehensive HDTV lineup.

"We are thrilled to expand our leading HDTV lineup with the addition of NESN HD and ESPN2 HD," said Randy Waddell, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Comcast's Northern Division. "Watching Red Sox games or events like the World Cup in crystal clear HD is the next best thing to actually being at the stadium. Comcast delivers the best value in home entertainment and the most compelling HDTV offering in New England."

The newly launched sports channels will enable Dads who subscribe to Comcast's high-definition services to watch Red Sox and World Cup games in crystal clear HD quality, making them feel like they have a front row seat to all the action in the ballpark or on the field. The first Red Sox HDTV broadcast on NESN HD will air TONIGHT -- Thursday -- at 8:10 PM on Channel 851 as the Sox wrap up a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome. ESPN2 HD has been available since the kick off of the World Cup tournament last Friday night on Channel 850.

Sean McGrail, President of NESN, said, "NESN is proud to offer New England sports fans our coverage of the Red Sox and Bruins games in high-definition and we're looking forward to bringing Comcast subscribers more HD programming with NESN HD on Comcast Digital Cable Channel 851."

McGrail noted that NESN currently leads the industry in high-definition programming, offering more events in HD than any other regional sports network. In 2006, all Red Sox and Bruins games that NESN airs will be televised from its new state-of-the-art studio facilities and the network will deliver increased in-studio programming, such as NESN SportsDesk, in high-definition. Previously, Red Sox and Bruins games were available in high-definition on INHD2, Comcast Channel 882. In fact, Comcast was the first provider to carry Red Sox and Bruins games in high-definition starting in 2003.

Comcast now offers 20 HD channels and services with the addition of NESN HD and ESPN2 HD, including CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, UPN, WB, ESPN HD, TNT HD, Universal HD, Discovery Theatre HD, HBO HD, Cinemax HD, Showtime HD, Starz HD, INHD, INHD2 and Fox Sports New England Celtics Games.

For more information about Comcast's HDTV service, customers can call 1-800-COMCAST or visit http://www.comcast.com/.

About Comcast

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Comcast Cable is a division of Comcast Corporation, the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. With 21.7 million cable customers, 9 million high-speed Internet customers and 1.5 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable networks and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's Northern Division serves 2.8 million customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia. The division is based in Manchester, New Hampshire and employs more than 7,000 professionals.

About NESN

NESN, New England's most watched sports network, is owned by the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins and delivered to over 4 million homes through the six-state region. All 149 Red Sox games televised on NESN this season will originate in high definition (HD), making NESN the first regional sports network in the country to offer every game in HD. NESN's recent move into a new state-of-the-art facility also allows the network to be the first regional network in the nation to originate all studio programs in HD.

About ESPN and ESPN2 HD

ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD will combine in 2006 to deliver over 700 major events plus over 2,000 programs totaling more than 6,500 hours in high definition featuring live programming, individual programs, movies and series from ESPN Original Entertainment plus news and information programming. Event telecasts will include a variety of match-ups from college football, the men's College World Series, the men's college lacrosse championships, the Little League World Series, Major League Baseball, men's and women's college basketball, the National Basketball Association, Monday Night Football from the National Football League, the Women's Final Four, the National Hot Rod Association, the NCAA Frozen Four (hockey championships) and the FIFA World Cup from Germany. ESPN Bristol-based high-definition news and information programs include -- SportsCenter, NFL Countdown, NFL PrimeTime, NFL Live, Monday Night Countdown and Baseball Tonight.

Source: Comcast

CONTACT: Marc Goodman of Comcast, +1-617-562-4305

Web site: http://www.comcast.com/

-------
Profile: intent