EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 24, 2006--In an era of fantasy sports leagues, where sports and athletes are measured as much by statistics as who won or lost, DIRECTV is satisfying stat-hungry NFL fans with a menu of new interactive features for its exclusive NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM) service at no additional charge to customers. The new features provide more team statistics from NFL SUNDAY TICKET games, and most notably for stat-mongers and fantasy players, with the Holy Grail of interactive functionality -- the ability to track player performances while viewing NFL regular season games on NFL SUNDAY TICKET.

The new NFL SUNDAY TICKET "Player Tracker" allows fans to select up to nine NFL players from around the league and track their performance throughout the day via real time on-screen alerts on every NFL SUNDAY TICKET game channel, Game Mix, and Red Zone Channel. The alerts appear when one of the selected players does anything of significance during a game -- whether it's a 71-yard rush, or a two-yard touchdown pass. In addition, fans will be able to bring up a "My Players" statistical overlay at the touch of a button, listing up-to-the-minute cumulative statistics for their players. To access these new features, all that is required along with the NFL SUNDAY TICKET service is interactive DIRECTV system equipment.

"With our new interactive features for this year's NFL SUNDAY TICKET, fantasy players no longer have to face the dilemma of tracking their fantasy team players and their opponent's players on their computer while watching the games themselves on TV. 'Player Tracker' brings it all together," said David Hill, president, DIRECTV Entertainment. "It's always been our mission to make NFL SUNDAY TICKET the ultimate destination for die-hard NFL fans and fantasy players every Sunday, and as their needs evolve, we intend to evolve with them."

According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association's 2005 national survey, more than 13 million adults play fantasy football. On average, these individuals participate in up to three separate leagues simultaneously.

In addition to the new "Player Tracker" feature, DIRECTV has added a variety of new team stats available on demand, including first downs, third-down efficiency, interceptions/interception yards and fumbles/fumbles lost. Individual Stats have also been beefed up, providing stat lines for the top four players on each team in rushing, passing and receiving. Finally, a "Today's Best" tab will feature the top five players from the day's NFL SUNDAY TICKET games in each of the three aforementioned categories.

New DIRECTV residential customers who purchase the NFL SUNDAY TICKET package for four payments of $69.99 each will receive four free months of the best DIRECTV programming package, TOTAL CHOICE(R) PREMIER, for a savings of $400. The DIRECTV offer is also available to new customers who subscribe to the DIRECTV PARA TODOS(R) SELECCION PREMIER Spanish-language package. Customers must activate by Oct. 2, 2006.

NFL SUNDAY TICKET customers can also add the NFL SUNDAY TICKET SuperFan(TM) option for $99. SuperFan returns for the 2006 season with more than 110 NFL games in crystal-clear HD, the Red Zone Channel, Game Mix, and Short Cuts, a popular feature that replays every game in 30 minutes or less, commercial free.

About DIRECTV, Inc.

DIRECTV, Inc. is the nation's leading digital television service provider with more than 15.5 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. DIRECTV (NYSE:DTV) is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment. DIRECTV is approximately 39 percent owned by News Corporation.

CONTACT:
DIRECTV, Inc.
Robert Mercer,
310-964-4683
or
Leader Enterprises
Marc Altieri,
562-546-6002

SOURCE: DIRECTV, Inc.