Atlanta Soccer News: Art, Music and Culture: FoxSC in talks with Rangers

Gers In Talks With Fox | Headlines | Headlines | News | Rangers

RANGERS have opened up discussions with the powerful Fox Soccer Channel in America which could lead to tremendous opportunities in the USA for the Light Blues.

Interest in Rangers across the Atlantic has been massively boosted by the signing of national team captain Carlos Bocanegra and midfielder Alejandro Bedoya who have joined fellow countryman Mo Edu at Ibrox.

Now an exciting partnership with the Fox Soccer Channel is in the pipeline for Rangers which would hugely increase the profile across the United States and beyond.

The network, which originally launched as Fox Soccer World in 1997, now reaches over 33 million cable and satellite subscribers in the U.S. and the Caribbean. FSC also has distribution agreements with multiple system operators and DirecTV, Dish Network, AT&T, U-Verse and Verizon FiOS.

But that's not all. Plans are already in place for a US tour next summer and there are more initiatives scheduled as Rangers continue to explore exciting ways to grow the brand across the world.

Chief Operating Officer Ali Russell revealed: "We are in initial discussions about developing a relationship with Fox and we feel there are exciting possibilities.

"There is increased interest in Rangers now that Carlos Bocanegra and Alejandro Bedoya have joined us and we are looking at supplying this new demand.

"We already have a very good following in America and Canada and we aim to build on that.

"There are 52 North American Rangers Supporters Association clubs across the United States and Canada and they all follow our matches on www.rangerstv.tv.

"The members in these clubs are tremendously proactive in promoting Rangers and they are fiercely proud supporters.

"We feel there is an even bigger market to exploit. There remains a very strong Scottish and Scots-Irish heritage across the United States and, of course, Canada.

"Indeed there are estimated to be nearly 25 million Americans who can claim Scottish descent which is over eight per cent of the population.

"In Canada the percentage of people with Scots heritage is even higher. There are more people in Canada with Scottish roots than the population of Scotland with more than five million Canadians with firm ancestry.

"So there is a large market with connections to Scotland but the parameters are wider. We believe that soccer fans in America in particular will now become interested in Rangers due to our contingent of US players.

"Our new media strategy at the club is already indicative of this as thousands of American users are now visiting our official web site www.rangers.co.uk and our new Official Facebook page which is proving to be a runaway success."