Showtime Networks & MLS Joins Force In Hispanic Campaign.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI) and Major League Soccer (MLS) have joined forces to create a subscriber acquisition campaign targeting Hispanic audiences which will run from today, April 1 through June 30, 2002.

Soccer is the most widely watched sport among Hispanics in the U.S., and Major League Soccer is the second most attended sporting event by the male U.S. Hispanic population (after baseball). There are currently over 65 million “soccer Americans,” 18 million of these are actual participants in the game. Additionally, 2002 is an important year for the sport, with the World Soccer Cup taking place in June and the U.S. being one of only 32 countries in the world to have qualified for this prestigious tournament.

The campaign will feature a variety of tactics in both English and Spanish. It includes bilingual direct mail, :30 customizable direct response television (DRTV) spots, :60 radio spots, ad slicks, and affiliate and Customer Contact Personnel incentives (such as season tickets to local games).

To generate further excitement for the campaign, SNI, which has 32 feeds of its services available in Spanish SAP, will offer a co-branded SHOWTIME/MLS professional quality soccer ball to new subscribers to SHOWTIME and/or THE MOVIE CHANNEL. To receive this offer, consumers must submit one monthly cable or satellite bill. SNI and MLS will also offer free soccer skills demonstrations/clinics in ten markets nationwide (markets to be determined) during May and June at local malls. Professional MLS player and soccer clinicians will be on site at all of these events and electronic prizes will be awarded to participants.