* * * MEDIA ALERT * * *

MEET THE NEW MIAMI MARLINS

"THE FRANCHISE: A SEASON WITH THE MIAMI MARLINS" SERIES PREMIERE WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, AT 10 PM ET/PT ON SHOWTIME

VIDEO: Meet this season's new Miami Marlins players with an exclusive Bonus Clip

NEW YORK (June 27, 2012) - Season two of the EMMY(R) Award winning documentary series from SHOWTIME(R) and Major League Baseball Productions THE FRANCHISE premieres on Wednesday, July 11 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME with a special one-hour episode. Weekly 30-minute episodes of THE FRANCHISE: A SEASON WITH THE MIAMI MARLINS will follow each Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME for the following seven weeks.

In its second season, THE FRANCHISE will bring together the sexy, cosmopolitan vibe of the city of Miami with the intense and competitive world of America's pastime as it follows the exploits of one of Major League Baseball's most talked- about teams - the Miami Marlins. Under the new leadership of charismatic and outspoken Ozzie Guillen, the Miami Marlins have the baseball world buzzing with the acquisitions of All-Stars Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell and Carlos Zambrano.

A collaboration between SHOWTIME and MLB Productions, THE FRANCHISE: A SEASON WITH THE MIAMI MARLINS is currently in production in Miami, as well as various locations around the country during the 2012 MLB season. The show will continue to expand on SHOWTIME Sports'(R) existing line-up of stellar and award-winning programming that includes INSIDE THE NFL, INSIDE NASCAR, ALL ACCESS, ShoBox: The New Generation, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING(R) and STRIKEFORCE Mixed Martial Arts.