GolTV has inked a deal for the rights to more than a dozen Argentina national team matches.
The pact with the Argentina Football Association, financial terms of which were not disclosed, covers the national team's matches through 2014. Lionel Messi, FIFA's three-time world player of the year, often plays for Argentines.
GolTV's rights to the national team flanks the bilingual network's delivery of exclusive Argentinean league action, which inlcudes the weekly "Clasico" - the week's top match - from the AFA every Sunday until the 2013-2014 season. The network, which is available in both Spanish and English-language feeds, also broadcasts Futbol Argentino, a half hour-long program featuring highlights and analysis from the AFA's latest matches and biggest stars, every Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.(ET)/ 5:30 p.m. (PT).
"The popularity of international soccer is growing at an incredible rate, and the addition of one of the world's most accomplished national teams provides GolTV's passionate viewers the fast-paced and exciting soccer viewing they demand," said Rodrigo Lombello, COO, GolTV in announcing the deal. "We have seen tremendous ratings success with our Argentina national team matches, and this two-year agreement allows GolTV to offer a valuable product to advertisers and cable providers."
"With GolTV, soccer fans across the United States can watch Argentina's national team prepare for the 2014 World Cup," said Guillermo Tofoni, vice president, World Eleven, the official sales representative of the Argentina Football Association. "Argentina is famous for exciting soccer play, and the road to the World Cup will be no exception."
Gol officials said the most recent Argentina national team match vs. Switzerland on Feb. 26 netted the highest ratings for an international FIFA match in the network's history.
