NESN Extends HD-PRIME Deal

New England Sports Network and SES Americom Inc. have signed a multiyear, multimillion-dollar contract extension, the two parties said Tuesday.

Under terms of the deal, NESN will use the advanced HD capabilities of SES Americom’s new “AMC-11” satellite, one of two birds that support “HD-PRIME -- America’s Cable Neighborhood."

NESN has aired more than 120 home games from Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and the National Hockey League’s Boston Bruins in HD since September 2003, and the network plans to add coverage of selected road games in 2005.

The network also airs minor-league baseball and hockey; local college football, basketball and hockey; and other regional sports.

"New Englanders take their sports seriously, and New England Sports Network is dedicated to making sure fans in nearly 4 million homes get the best coverage of the most relevant events in the region," SES Americom vice president of media and entertainment services Carl Capista said in a prepared statement.

NESN president Sean McGrail added, “SES Americom and its HD-PRIME Neighborhood deliver the quality and reliability NESN must have to provide our award-winning Red Sox and Bruins coverage to New England sports fans.”