For die-hard baseball fans who have never had the chance to visit Fenway’s famous Green Monster, watch a game within “The Friendly Confines” of Wrigley Field, or eat an original Dodger Dog at Dodger stadium, DIRECTV is launching the perfect 3D series just for them. Beginning this Saturday, DIRECTV is giving fans an unprecedented view of America’s national pastime with its new, original 3D series, On Deck with Jamie and Mike.

On Deck with Jamie and Mike, hosted by two spirited sports fanatics, Jamie Kaler and Mike Bunin, who are also known for their roles on TBS’ sitcom, My Boys, is giving viewers an in-depth look at famous ballparks across the country, the cities that house them and the fans that bring them to life. The series will premiere in 3D on Sept. 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and is available exclusively on n3D, Powered by Panasonic (channel 103). The show will also air in 2D on DIRECTV’s Audience Network (channel 239) beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.

“What makes real baseball fans so passionate about the game is so much more than just the players on the field,” said Chris Long, senior vice president, DIRECTV Entertainment. “It is the smell of the stadium, the feel of the seats, the taste of the food they have waited all year to eat and the familiar faces that greet them when they walk through the gates. On Deck with Jamie and Mike in 3D will bring that same nostalgia to our 3D baseball fans and give them the best baseball road trip of their lives without having to get up from their couch.”

DIRECTV, one of the world’s leading video providers, has acquired all three seasons of the critically acclaimed, award-winning Canadian comedy series Less Than Kind. Produced and distributed by Toronto-based Breakthrough Entertainment, the series will make its exclusive U.S. debut this fall on DIRECTV’s AUDIENCE Network™, joining fellow Canadian hit Call Me Fitz as part of the network’s stable of comedy programming. UTA, on behalf of Breakthrough Entertainment, brokered the deal with DIRECTV.

The comedy-drama series follows the trials and tribulations of Sheldon Blecher (Jesse Camacho), an overweight 15-year-old with a self-destructive driving instructor father, a pyromaniac mother and a failed-actor brother who won’t get out of his room. The family business, Blecher’s Driving School, is crashing. And to add insult to injury, the family lives in Winnipeg. As Sheldon struggles to escape his family and his family struggles to keep the business running, cars crash, hearts break, blood pressure boils, and corned beef is eaten. Less Than Kind is a smart, edgy, dysfunctional half-hour comedy that chronicles Sheldon’s attempts to manage his teenage years. It offers a sharp, humorous look at the twists and turns that take place between the hugs and kisses in a “loving” family.

“DIRECTV’s AUDIENCE Network™ is connecting with viewers throughout the U.S. and we are proud to have Less Than Kind as an important part of its prime-time line-up,” said Nat Abraham, Vice President of Distribution for Breakthrough Entertainment.

“Clever, smart and unpredictable, Less Than Kind is a perfect fit for the AUDIENCE Network™,” said Patty Ishimoto, vice president Entertainment DIRECTV and general manager of the Audience Network™. “We are thrilled to add it to our line-up of comedy programming and to introduce our viewers to the eccentric members of the Blecher family.”

Entering its third season January 2012 on HBO® Canada and The Movie Network Canada, Less Than Kind boasts Mark McKinney as its executive producer. The Canadian actor-comedian is best known for his memorable work on The Kids in the Hall and Saturday Night Live, before moving on to write and star in the acclaimed Canadian series Slings and Arrows.

“This really is a tradition going back to Kids in the Hall,” said McKinney. “We would write the weirdest sketch we could and then try and make it accessible to the audience. You want your characters to have afflictions and have to deal with things. In this case, our lead is overweight but the irony is that he’s carrying the burden of this tremendously dysfunctional family.”

After debuting on Canadian television in October 2008, Less Than Kind was quickly embraced by TV audiences and critics alike. In 2010, the series earned fifteen Gemini Awards, including Best Comedy Series, Best Direction, Best Writing, and Best Individual Performances. Less Than Kind also earned nine individual Canadian Comedy Awards, including Best Writing, Best Ensemble Cast and Best Individual Performance in a Comedy Series, as well as multiple Best Comedy Writing awards from the prestigious Writers Guild of Canada.

Less Than Kind is a production of Breakthrough Entertainment and Buffalo Gal Pictures. The series is executive produced by Ira Levy, Peter Williamson, Phyllis Laing, Mark McKinney, Marvin Kaye, and Chris Sheasgreen.

DIRECTV, America’s exclusive source for the popular NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ service that allows fans to follow their favorite team no matter where they live, is challenging die-hard, displaced NFL fans across the country to prove their undying loyalty to their favorite out-of-market NFL team with the launch of the Fourth Annual Ultimate Displaced Fan Contest.

Contestants will vie for a chance to earn the title of DIRECTV’s Ultimate Displaced Fan by submitting videos, essays, or photos that creatively displays the extreme dedication to their team and how they deal with living outside of their team’s home market.

In addition to bragging rights, the winner of the contest will receive the dream NFL prize package: a trip to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI, two tickets to the game, a radio tour with a member of their favorite team on famed “radio row” and the opportunity to play alongside celebrities and NFL greats in DIRECTV’s nationally televised Celebrity Beach Bowl. The winner also receives a year of complimentary DIRECTV programming, along with the 2012 NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ service. The contest is underway and entries should be submitted to the DIRECTV Ultimate Displaced Fan website atwww.ultimatedisplacedfan.com

Fans can get involved by voting for their favorite Ultimate Displaced Fan entries through a fan voting feature that allows them to cast their vote for the top 10 monthly entries for a chance to win random, bi-weekly prizes. Each month during the contest the submission that receives the most fan votes will win autographed memorabilia from Peyton or Eli Manning or an NFL.com gift card. Voting begins Oct. 1 when entries begin posting to the contest website.

“NFL fans’ passion and unabashed loyalty to their home team has driven the enormous popularity of our exclusive NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ package, and through our Ultimate Displaced Fan contest we’re encouraging those fans to take that enthusiasm to another level,” said Tony Goncalves, senior vice president, Product Management, DIRECTV. “With this contest we’re honoring those die-hard, displaced NFL fans by giving them a chance to have some fun and show their loyalty and dedication to their favorite team and win some awesome prizes.”

Last year the Ultimate Displaced Fan title was awarded to Kris Jones, a Raleigh, N.C. resident with a fanatical loyalty to the Baltimore Ravens. Jones won with a creative video that provided viewers with a tour of his “Ravens Room” – the home of his Baltimore memorabilia, wall decals and a special bed where he superstitiously tucks himself in between Ravens-branded sheets the night before every game.

Both displaced and regular fans alike will enjoy new features with the NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ package this season, making the experience of watching every out-of-market game every Sunday better than ever. In addition to NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ To-Go being available on more devices this year, fantasy players, for the first time, will be able to view their NFL.com Fantasy Football teams and scores directly on their TV screen while watching every game every Sunday afternoon on DIRECTV. A “Watch Now” icon assigned to their fantasy player will enable the viewer to tune instantly to that player’s game in progress – an experience that is unique to NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ customers. DIRECTV will also offer a new enlarged, four-cell Mix Channel for afternoon games to enhance the viewing experience.

DIRECTV’s live coverage of Tropical Storm Irene has concluded. Please tune to your local news affiliate for updated storm information.

We’re ready to help our valued customers who may have been adversely affected by the recent hurricane. If your satellite has been displaced, you have lost power or have had to evacuate, we are happy to temporarily suspend your account or send out a service technician to realign your satellite dish.

A federal judge in Illinois today denied Comcast’s request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against DIRECTV in an attempt to handicap the company from advertising its best offer of the year, one where new customers receive the popular NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ package at no extra charge for the 2011 season.

“We’re pleased the judge recognized Comcast’s veiled attempt to limit our ability to compete in the marketplace and denied the TRO,”

said Jon Gieselman, senior vice president of Marketing and Direct Sales for DIRECTV. “We’re happy to go head-to-head with Comcast any day on whose service is superior, so we look forward to competing in the marketplace rather than the courtroom.”

DIRECTV, an upstart satellite TV venture that few thought would survive in a world dominated by cable companies when it launched in 1994, has surpassed 30 million customers today.

DIRECTV reached the milestone after two years of record-breaking growth in the Americas, including solid gains in the first half of this year, maintaining its status as the world’s largest pay TV service. Since the beginning of Q3 2009,

DIRECTV added more than 1.1 million customers in the U.S. —

more than any other satellite or cable provider — ending the second quarter of this year with more than 19.4 million customers. Since it acquired one million customers in its first year of service in 1995, DIRECTV U.S. has reported customer gains for 60 consecutive quarters.

DIRECTV Latin America, sparked by a rapidly growing consumer class throughout the continent, added more than 2.4 million customers to the SKY Brasil and DIRECTV platforms over the past two years. SKY Mexico has nearly doubled in size by adding an additional 1.8 million customers over the same time frame, bringing the total, including Mexico, to more than 10.6 million customers in the region.

“Everyone at DIRECTV can take great pride in this momentous achievement,” said Mike White, DIRECTV’s Chairman and CEO. “DIRECTV in the Americas has set new standards for excellence in video technology, programming and customer service, and established our brand as synonymous with the best video experience available anywhere.”

“With our business continuing to explode in Latin America, we expect to sustain that momentum by taking advantage of our scale, appealing to the young and rapidly growing middle market of consumers and leveraging the advanced technology we’ve developed in the U.S.,”

White added. “Demand for DIRECTV service among consumers in the U.S. is growing stronger as we near the fall selling season, and we are continuing to surprise and delight our existing customers with new products and services while actively engaging those price-sensitive consumers who are looking for both a great value and a superior video product.

“Finally, I want to congratulate all of our employees, business partners and loyal customers who contributed to this incredible success story.”