WGN to Launch Ultimate Arena Paintball Series
March 23, 2005
By Katy Bachman

Fulfilling a promise Tribune Broadcasting made at its 2004 upfront presentation, superstation WGN announced Wednesday the launch of its first original TV series this spring with the preview of Ultimate Arena Paintball on April 2 at 8 p.m.

Originating from major city arenas in the U.S., Ultimate Arena Paintball features the games of the World Paintball League made up of 24 professional teams across the U.S. and Canada, and its feeder league, Ultimate Arena Paintball League's 216 teams. The WGN series will showcase the best of the 216 UAPL teams as they compete for a spot in the WPL.

WGN will broadcast five, half-hour weekly Ultimate Arena Paintball programs this spring, returning to the WGN schedule with five, one-hour exhibition broadcasts in October. A series of 26 regular season broadcasts will be shown on weekends beginning in November.

Along with the new series, superstation WGN is offering advertisers a wide range of sponsorship and promotion opportunities, from on-air promotion, event signage and contests to product placement, segment sponsorships and paintball team naming rights.

The new program is in keeping with WGN's emphasis on sports programming, which began with the superstation's broadcasts of the Chicago Cubs and White Sox baseball 26 years ago. WGN also broadcasts a schedule of Chicago Bulls basketball and two NCAA basketball tournaments, and select Ivy League football games.

The teams:

*EASTERN CONFERENCE*
New York Invasion
Pittsburgh Smoke
New England Distortion
DC Shooters
Tampa Warriors
Jacksonville Raiders
Miami Nemesis
Atlanta Strange---------------go atlanta!

*CENTRAL CONFERENCE*
Detroit Atomix
Dallas Destroyers
Milwaukee Buzz
St. Louis Flames
Chicago Syndicate
Memphis Farside
Indianapolis Impact
Houston Fracture

*WESTERN CONFERENCE*
Oakland Avalanche
San Francisco Dynasty
Los Angeles Hitmen
Hollywood Assassins
Seattle Storm
San Diego XSV
Phoenix Inferno
Orange County Bushwackers