First Rosie O'Donnell hosted Island children performing theatre live on her show and now Oprah Winfrey's new television network is picking up the rights to the Lorie Kane Island Challenge. Tourism PEI announced today that they have secured an agreement with Oxygen Network in New York to pick up The Sports Network (TSN) broadcast of the event and air it in October of 2000 across the United States.
The Oxygen Network boasts a viewership of over 15 million people and their spokes people indicated that they are very interested in this first-ever Canadian women's skins format tournament and the international flair that the four LPGA players will bring.
"This is an amazing opportunity for the Island," noted Greg Deighan, Minister of Tourism. "We are very excited about the substantial coverage this will bring and feel quite proud that this network has expressed interest in our event. The fact that Tourism PEI was able to secure this deal means added revenues and exposure to an already very successful event."
"Oxygen" is geared toward the female market, providing information about technology, sports, life and community issues. Their mandate is to make the media more accessible to women and to provide pertinent information about topics that are of concern to women and today's lifestyles.
The crew will shadow the TSN group to tape commentator segments of the event and incorporate it into a program for the new network that will feature Prince Edward Island as a vacation destination. This broadcast, along with the deal struck with TSN, will ensure a wide international exposure for the event itself and for Prince Edward Island. The Oxygen Network will air the Lorie Kane Island Challenge shortly after the TSN broadcast in October.