ESPN International Renews Rights to UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup
Agreement Includes Multimedia Rights Across Spanish-speaking Latin America and the Caribbean
ESPN International has reached a broad multimedia rights agreement with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to continue broadcasting the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, and the UEFA Super Cup in Spanish-speaking Latin America and select countries and territories across the Caribbean, effective 2015/16 through 2017/18.
Under the agreement, ESPN and FOX Sports will divide the matches equally for the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup.
For the UEFA Champions League, ESPN will carry a total of 76 matches each season, including 70 exclusive matches from the playoffs, the group stage and knockout rounds. ESPN and Fox will share the semifinals, the Final and the UEFA Super Cup.
ESPN rights to the UEFA Europa League include a total of 102 exclusive matches per season, including the group stage and knockout rounds. The Final will be shared.
“This renewal underscores our ongoing commitment to always deliver world-class content to our fans across Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Tim Bunnell, Senior Vice President, International Programming, Production, Marketing and Advertising Sales, ESPN International.“We have a long history as a UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League broadcaster. These competitions are the most prestigious club soccer events in the world, and we are eager to build on the success we have had over the years in presenting these tournaments to our viewers.”
ESPN’s coverage of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League will be provided across a variety of the brand’s multimedia platforms. Matches will be televised across all of ESPN's television networks including ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPNHD. ESPN Play, ESPN’s broadband network, will also offer extensive coverage throughout the tournaments. Additionally, rights will extend across the brand’s regional digital platforms including ESPN.com, ESPNFC.com, ESPN FC app, and ESPN mobile Web.
In addition, ESPN will telecast highlight programs and magazine shows exclusively dedicated to the competitions complemented by the brand’s news and information studio programming that includes Sportscenter, Cron metro, Hablemos de Futbol, ESPN FC, Bal n Dividido, and Fuera de Juego.
ESPN is the home of all the top European soccer events and other premier soccer championships, across Latin America and the Caribbean. The UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup are part of ESPN’s unmatched roster of live soccer programming available in the region that includes: English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A, French Ligue 1, Portuguese Primeira Liga, Dutch Eredivisie, English FA Cup & Football League Cup, Spanish Copa del Rey, Mexican Liga MX & Copa MX, and Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, among others.
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About ESPN International
ESPN International is a division of ESPN, Inc., which has grown to include ownership — in whole or in part — of 24 television networks outside of the United States, as well as a variety of additional businesses that allow ESPN to reach sports fans in 61 countries and territories across all seven continents. ESPN International business entities include television, radio, print, internet, broadband, wireless, consumer products, and event management. The company and its holdings maintain offices or production facilities in key locations around the world including Bangalore, Bristol, CT, Buenos Aires, Bogot�, London, Mexico City, Miami, FL, Melbourne, Mumbai, New York City, Rio de Janeiro, S�o Paulo, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. Since 1983, ESPN (originally founded in Bristol, Connecticut, in 1979) has been growing around the world, establishing itself as the leading global sports media brand. The company’s philosophy to global growth is to always serve sports fans and be locally relevant to them, with content and products that tap into their great passion and dedication.