'Operation Community Cup' Partners Unveiled Revitalized FC Harlem Soccer Field at Riverside Park

NEW YORK, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ --The partners of "Operation Community Cup" – Time Warner Cable Sports, Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Soccer Channel, U.S. Soccer Foundation, FC Harlem and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection – yesterday unveiled an improved and safer soccer field dedicated to FC Harlem, a non-profit youth development organization in Harlem.  The field, located on 679 Riverside Drive at 145th Street, serves as the first year-round practice field dedicated to FC Harlem's soccer program which has close to 250 registered kids, ages 5-19.  

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The official opening ceremony included remarks from Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Time Warner Cable Sam Howe, President of Fox Networks Affiliate Sales & Marketing Mike Hopkins, President & CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation Ed Foster-Simeon, NYC Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway and Executive Director of FC Harlem Irv Smalls.  

An enthusiastic group of kids from FC Harlem participated in an exclusive coaching session and clinic conducted by the New York Red Bulls. The professional players demonstrated how the angle and curve of a shot, speed and velocity and positioning all came together in soccer.  Reinforcing these concepts were illustrations displayed around the newly refurbished field.  The sports connection to math is consistent with Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds® initiative, which was developed to nurture young people's science, technology, engineering and math ("STEM") skills.  

"The revitalization of FC Harlem's soccer field is a great way for Time Warner Cable to demonstrate our commitment to the communities and customers we serve," said Sam Howe, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Time Warner Cable.  "This unique partnership through our Time Warner Cable Sports platform and programming partnership with Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Soccer Channel gives us the perfect opportunity to not only showcase the passion our customers have for soccer, but also helps us to show kids that math and science are all around them, even on the soccer field."

Time Warner Cable is creating a video package of this initiative that includes behind-the-scenes footage and coverage of the soccer field revitalization from groundbreaking to the official opening, all available to Time Warner Cable customers free on Local On Demand, Channel 1111.

"Fox Networks is always looking for opportunities to partner with great organizations like Time Warner Cable, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, FC Harlem, and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection so that we can help to create a positive and lasting impact on local communities," said Mike Hopkins, President of Fox Networks Affiliate Sales and Marketing. "When Time Warner Cable Sports presented the idea of Operation Community Cup to us, Fox Soccer Plus, and Fox Soccer Channel, we knew right away that this could be a game changer for thousands of deserving children."

In August, Time Warner Cable Sports announced its partnership with Fox Soccer Plus, a premium network intended to complement Fox Soccer Channel, to launch "Operation Community Cup" – a local community-focused project designed to revitalize soccer fields for children across New York City, Los Angeles and Columbus.  In New York City, Time Warner Cable and Fox Soccer Plus partnered with FC Harlem to revitalize its field.  Access to the land was provided by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection.

"We at FC HARLEM believe that sports and education can be a powerful vehicle for social change in Harlem and urban communities around the country," said Irv Smalls, Executive Director of FC Harlem.  "We are truly honored that with the support of  the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, Time Warner Cable's and Fox Soccer's Operation Community Cup has selected FC Harlem for this amazing project. This revitalized field not only allows us to have a field of our own but it shows how we can repurpose unused space to provide opportunities for fun, safe, healthy recreation right in our community. I know the parents and kids of FC Harlem are excited to experience this beautiful soccer field."

"We are excited to be part of the 'Operation Community Cup' soccer initiative," said Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway. "FC Harlem is a fantastic organization

that has been running soccer programs for children and young adults since 1990.  They teach that it takes teamwork and leadership to succeed in soccer and in life, skills that are equally

important at DEP.   When FC Harlem approached us about an opportunity last year to turn this area into a soccer field, we jumped at the chance to give back to the community.  Time Warner Cable Sports and Fox Soccer Plus generously decided to take this field to the next level, and the improvements are stunning.  From an empty lot to a beautiful new soccer field, this project shows what we can achieve when we all work together."

About Time Warner Cable's New York City Region

Time Warner Cable's New York City Region serves over 1.4 million customers in four NYC boroughs (Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island and western Brooklyn), Mt. Vernon, Hudson Valley (Orange, Sullivan, Ulster Counties and parts of Dutchess, Greene and Delaware Counties) and Bergen and Hudson Counties, New Jersey.  Visit www.timewarnercable.com/nynj.

Time Warner Cable is the second-largest cable operator in the U.S., with technologically advanced, well-clustered systems located in five geographic areas — New York State (including New York City), the Carolinas, Ohio, southern California (including Los Angeles) and Texas. Time Warner Cable serves more than 14 million customers who subscribe to one or more of its video, high-speed data and voice services.  Time Warner Cable Business Class offers a suite of phone, Internet, Ethernet and cable television services to businesses of all sizes. Time Warner Cable Media Sales, the advertising arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative

advertising solutions that are targeted and affordable.  More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at www.timewarnercable.com, www.twcbc.com and www.twcmediasales.com.

About Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus

Part of the Fox Sports Media Group, Fox Soccer Channel and its complementary premium network, Fox Soccer Plus together offer the most comprehensive high–definition (HD) coverage of world-class soccer and rugby available in the United States. Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus – the Ultimate Soccer Networks™ – serve as the primary television destinations for coverage of England's Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League and deliver live exclusive coverage from England's FA Cup, Italy's Serie A and France's Ligue 1. Fox Soccer Channel reaches more than 37 million cable and satellite households nationwide and offers exclusive live match coverage of Major League Soccer, Women's Professional Soccer and the Australian Hyundai A-League as well as global tournaments including the FIFA Club World Cup and CONCACAF Champions League™. Fox Soccer Plus enhances the international sports experience with coverage of the npower Championship, Carling Cup and England Men's National Team in addition to  premium rugby from the Magners League, SANZAR, Tri-Nations, Currie Cup, Aviva Premiership and Heineken Cup. Fox Soccer Channel is the official broadcast partner of the United States Youth Soccer Association, and televises the NCAA Division I college men's and women's soccer and is an official sponsor of the USA World Cup Bid Committee.

For more information about America's most comprehensive soccer networks, visit foxsoccer.com and foxsoccerplus.com. 

About FC Harlem

A Harlem-based youth development organization making positive impact on the lives of young people through soccer since 1990.  We do this by using "The World's Game" as a platform from which to provide opportunities and unique experiences that cultivate young leaders. For more information visit www.fcharlemlions.org.

About the U.S. Soccer Foundation

The U.S. Soccer Foundation is the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States. Established in 1994, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has invested more than $51 million, supporting hundreds of projects in every state. The U.S. Soccer Foundation supports programs and field building projects that provide low income and at-risk youth in urban communities with soccer programs that promote education, healthy lifestyles, leadership and positive alternatives to drugs, crime and other at-risk behaviors. For more information, or to donate online, please visit ussoccerfoundation.org.

SOURCE Time Warner Cable