DIRECTV's Exclusive MEGA MARCH MADNESS Package to Broadcast 30 Games in High-Definiti

[Gregg Lengling]

Further expanding the availability of high-definition (HD) sports programming nationwide, DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading provider of digital multichannel television, announced today that it will carry CBS Sports' HD coverage of 30 of the 56 games in the first three rounds of the 2005 NCAA® Division I Men's Basketball Championship via its exclusive MEGA MARCH MADNESS® package.
The exclusive package, which is not available on any other pay TV service, offers residential customers up to 37 live out-of-market games from the first three rounds of the Tournament for $59, supplementing CBS Sports' network coverage of the 2005 NCAA® Division I Men's Basketball Championship. The 64-team NCAA Tournament tips off on Thursday, March 17.

With MEGA MARCH MADNESS, college basketball fans have the capability to see virtually every game from the Tournament, including the key early-round upsets and "Cinderella" stories - teams that emerge from near-obscurity - each year capturing the attention and hearts of sports fans around the country. This is the seventh year that DIRECTV will offer NCAA MEGA MARCH MADNESS exclusively.

"Few sporting events equal the drama, excitement and anticipation of the NCAA Tournament, and for those fans who want to see every game in the first three rounds, DIRECTV once again will be the premier viewing destination," said Neal Tiles, executive vice president, Marketing, DIRECTV. "Our commitment to deliver more HD programming to our customers is reflected in the fact that we and CBS are offering more than three times as many games in HD this year over last year's MEGA MARCH MADNESS package. With more live sports events than any cable or satellite provider, DIRECTV once again proves to be the best TV experience, especially for sports fans."

To access DIRECTV HD programming, customers may purchase a DIRECTV-enabled high-definition set-top receiver and a single 18 x 20-inch multi-satellite dish with three LNBs. DIRECTV-enabled HD receivers and triple-LNB satellite dishes are available from authorized DIRECTV retailers, such as Circuit City and Best Buy, nationwide.

DIRECTV is the nation's leading and fastest-growing digital multichannel television service provider with more than 13.9 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of The DIRECTV Group Inc. (NYSE:DTV - News). The DIRECTV Group is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment and broadband satellite networks and services. The DIRECTV Group is 34 percent owned by Fox Entertainment Group, which is approximately 82 percent owned by News Corporation. For more information visit //www.directv.com.