Univision Deportes and ESPN sign agreement to telecast Mexican national team matches in the U.S.

Univision Deportes and ESPN have formalized an alliance to increase the reach of the Mexican National Soccer Team (nicknamed “El Tri”) in the U.S. The agreement grants ESPN’s English-language networks and digital platforms the media rights to Mexico’s home FIFA World Cup qualifying matches and international friendlies. The English-language coverage will complement Univision’s Spanish-language coverage of the Mexican Team on broadcast, cable and interactive platforms. As part of the agreement, Univision Deportes and ESPN have secured the U.S. media rights to all of Mexico’s home matches, both qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and international friendlies, in Spanish and English respectively. The alliance will also allow Univision Deportes and ESPN to collaborate on special content focused on the Mexican National Team. The series of 20 matches will begin Wed., Jan. 30, with an international friendly in Phoenix, Arizona, vs. Denmark at 10 pm (in Spanish on UniMás/Univision Deportes Network and English on ESPN2/WatchESPN), and conclude with the team’s last match before the 2014 World Cup.Univision Deportes and ESPN will also televise the Mexico vs. USA match in Mexico City on Tuesday, March 26 at 9:30pm.“Univision Deportes is committed to expanding access to soccer properties in the US across our platforms and with partnerships such as this one with ESPN,” said Juan Carlos Rodríguez, president of Univision Deportes.“As ESPN continues to build towards the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, this agreement represents an opportunity to add a premier soccer property that will appeal to all fans, including our growing Hispanic audience,” said Scott Guglielmino, ESPN SVP, Programming.