TSN Senior Correspondent Rick Westhead Investigates Soccer in the Slums of Brazil for FAVELA UNITED, an Original Feature for the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™

TORONTO  – As part of CTV and TSN’s extensive slate of compelling original features from the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™, TSN Senior Correspondent Rick Westhead travels to the favelas of Brazil to investigate the impact of soccer on a brave group of young women. Their story is shared in the TSN Original: FAVELA UNITED, debuting during the SPORTSCENTRE today (Saturday, June 13) at 3 p.m. ET on TSN.   Complementing FAVELA UNITED is Westhead’s long-form magazine story about street soccer culture in one the most dangerous places in the world – where most young girls grow up under the threat of gang violence and drug trafficking.   Westhead’s accompanying story is featured on TSNOriginal.ca, a brand new web experience that combines atmospheric sound, photos, and videos to bring readers into lives of the girls living in the favelas.   Launching today, TSNOriginal.ca marks the network’s first foray into digital storytelling and serves as its new digital model for long-form, magazine-style sports journalism.   “The goal of our Original Features is to elevate the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™ with strong storytelling, and there’s no better example of that than FAVELA UNITED,” said Ken Volden, Vice-President and Executive Producer, News and Information, TSN. “Rick’s essay presented the perfect opportunity to explore digital storytelling, and we’re very excited by the result, as well as the many future possibilities offered by our new microsite.”

TSN’s new digital model for long-form sports journalism launches today in support of FAVELA UNITED. VISIT: TSNOriginal.ca

<<NOTE TO MEDIA: Click here to watch the trailer for FAVELA UNITED >>

  About FAVELA UNITED FAVELA UNITED investigates the positive impact of street soccer culture upon girls growing up in extreme poverty in the most dangerous neighbourhoods of Rio de Janeiro, known as favelas. In these urban slums, violent conflict between local police and drug traffickers is a daily occurrence, and children are commonly used as drug runners. Amid the gunfire, girls’ soccer programs offer a glimmer of hope, and an escape from being forced into the drug trade.   FAVELA UNITED is directed by Canadian Screen Award-winning Senior Feature Producer Josh Shiaman, who oversaw the creation of more than 40 features surrounding the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™.   CTV and TSN’s Original Features airing in the pre-game shows of select games explore some of the most compelling stories in women’s soccer.   CTV and TSN’s complete slate of more than 40 Original Features from the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™ will be made available across CTV and TSN platforms, airing in SPORTSCENTRE, on CTV affiliates across the country, and on-demand through TSN Digital platforms including TSN GO and TSN.ca/FIFA.   TSN, CTV, and RDS are official broadcasters of FIFA events from 2015 to 2026, including the FIFA World Cup™ in 2018, 2022, and 2026.   FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™ on TSN and CTV Television: CTV, TSN, and RDS’s exclusive live coverage of all 52 matches from the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™ continues with four matches today (Saturday, June 13), beginning with France vs. Colombia at 1 p.m. ET on TSN and RDS.   Taking place in six cities across Canada (Edmonton, Moncton, Montréal, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Winnipeg), the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™ culminates with the Final on Sunday, July 5 at 7 p.m. ET on CTV/RDS at BC Place in Vancouver.   Live Streaming: In addition to live television coverage of all 52 games on CTV/TSN, TV subscribers can live stream all games from the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™ on the corresponding GO platform – CTV GO or TSN GO.   Radio: Canadians can tune in to TSN Radio’s live coverage of every Canada match, plus Round of 16, quarter-final, and semifinal matches, and the Final. TSN Radio’s package of games airs nationally on the TSN Radio Network presented by Amway Canada. The following radio stations, listed in order from West to East, will broadcast live coverage of the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™:

• CFAX 1070 – Victoria
• TSN 1040/1410 – Vancouver
• AM 1150 – Kelowna
• TSN 1260 – Edmonton
• TSN 1290 – Winnipeg
• CKOC 1150 – Hamilton
• TSN 1050 – Toronto
• TSN 1200 – Ottawa
• TSN 690 – Montréal
• Sirius/XM 167

  Fans can also listen to live radio coverage on TSN.ca/Radio and on the TSN GO app.   News and Analysis: TSN.ca/FIFA is a one-stop shop for everything surrounding the FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™, featuring news, analysis, and original content from the tournament.