No interruptions during World Cup. (television coverage of soccer tournament)

Broadcasting & Cable, June, 1993 by Cooper, Jim

The 1994 World Cup soccer matches, the first to be held in the United States, will be seen on network and cable telecasts with no commercials during the action. Sponsors of ABC and ESPN's joint coverage will place ads in pre- and post-game time and in a 15-minute segment between the two 45-minute halves.

"This is really a joint effort," said Steven Risser, ESPN director of program acquisition. Risser said ESPN and ABC went "hand-in-hand" to sponsors to pitch the no-commercial-interruption concept. David Downs, vice president of programing, ABC Sports, said the two-hour telecast will run commercials around the matches. In the first five minutes of the telecast there will be a two-and-a-half-minute ad segment divided into five 30-second spots...

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