As part of its ongoing effort to offer the world’s best football programming, ESPN has reached a new multi-year agreement for telecast rights to the Spanish Football League throughout Latin America and the Pacific Rim, it was announced today by Tim Bunnell, vice president of programming, ESPN International, and Melcior Soler, director general, Audiovisual Sport.
The new agreement ensures that ESPN, which has broadcast Spanish Football matches in Latin America since 1998, will continue to televise the property through the 2005-06 season. As part of the deal, ESPN also acquires extensive telecast rights for the Copa del Rey for the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.
The terms of the new agreement call for ESPN to have exclusive cable and satellite rights for Spanish Football for up to eight matches per round for the remainder of the current season. For the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, ESPN will have exclusive cable and satellite rights to all matches each round. ESPN will offer live telecasts of Spanish Football on all its networks in Latin America including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, and ESPN Brasil, as well as on its network serving Australia and New Zealand in the Pacific Rim.
ESPN will also produce a new studio show for Latin America viewers entitled Goles de España that will debut on November 3 and which will feature analysis and match highlights from La Liga. Goles de España will be hosted by veteran ESPN commentator Luis Omar Tapia
‘We are very pleased to continue offering La Liga on ESPN,’ said Bunnell. ‘The presence of Spanish football on our networks, in conjunction with Italian Serie A and the UEFA Champions League, positions us as the leaders in European football in Latin America. This programming is undoubtedly a tremendous value to affiliates, advertisers, and viewers.’
‘We are pleased to have ESPN as a television partner for Spanish Football for the next three seasons,’ added Soler. ‘With ESPN’s telecasts in Latin America and the Pacific Rim, Audiovisual Sport has now completed broadcast agreements on behalf of La Liga for distribution all over the world.’
La Liga features many of the best football players in the world, including an array of Latin American stars such as Brazilians Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid), Argentines Javier Saviola (Barcelona) and Pablo Aimar (Valencia), and Mexican Rafael Marquez (Barcelona). Defending champions Real Madrid have added English pop icon David Beckham to its star studded lineup this season. Six of the last seven World Players of the Year now play with Real Madrid.
ESPN’s full coverage of the 2003-04 Spanish Football season resumes on November 1. Please check local listings for telecast times.
For more details contact:
Chris Bellitti @ +1.212.456.0265 or chris.bellitti@espn.com