Fox Deportes
On the 1st of November 1993, a new channel called La Cadena Deportiva Prime Ticket began broadcasting from Southern California. This network started as a sister operation to the original Prime Ticket regional sports network. It was designed specifically for Spanish-speaking audiences in the United States. The launch marked the beginning of the first and longest-running Spanish-language sports network in the country. A significant rebranding occurred on the 1st of April 1995, when the name changed to Prime Deportiva. This shift aligned the station with Liberty Media-owned regional sports networks using the "Prime Sports" brand. News Corporation formed a joint venture with Liberty Media later that year. On the 1st of October 1996, the entity became Fox Sports Américas under this new partnership. February 1999 brought another identity change to Fox Sports World Español. This update matched the recently launched English-language soccer centric network known as Fox Sports World. In 2002, the network adopted the name Fox Sports en Español. Finally, on the 1st of October 2010, it received its current title, Fox Deportes.
The network holds rights to international soccer including MLS, Liga MX and Liga MX Femenil. Matches hosted by FC Juárez and Tigres UANL appear regularly on the channel. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, it carried replays of Fox's English-language coverage of the tournament. On the 4th of January 2023, an announcement stated that Fox Sports acquired the English-language and Spanish-language TV rights to the Coupe de France. Fox Deportes aired most games from this French competition. Reports emerged on the 11th of August 2023, regarding a deal for the Saudi Pro League. Fox Sports bought the rights in both English and Spanish languages. The league began broadcasting games during the 2023-24 season. On the 10th of October 2023, Fox Deportes revealed they acquired the English-language rights to the Mexican national team's friendly matches through the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These acquisitions demonstrate a strategy focused heavily on expanding soccer content across multiple leagues and regions.
The network began to carry simulcasts of some Fox College Football games in 2013 with Spanish play-by-play and graphics. Starting with the 2013 Thanksgiving Game on Fox, it also carries select NFL games from the NFL on Fox package featuring Spanish-language play-by-play and graphics. This includes Fox's NFC playoffs package. The channel continues to carry all NFL games with Spanish-language play-by-play via the SAP channel regardless of a game also airing on Fox Deportes. A historic moment occurred when the network carried Super Bowl XLVIII. This was the first time a Spanish-language sports network broadcast the Super Bowl in the United States. They have continued to carry Super Bowls in years where the Fox broadcast network holds the rights to the game. Telemundo also airs the Super Bowl when Fox does, but Fox Deportes maintains its own coverage for this audience.
The network serves as the Spanish-language home to Major League Baseball including the MLB All-Star Game. It covers American and National League Championship Series with AL odd years and NL even years. The World Series and World Baseball Classic are also part of their baseball portfolio. Although the Fox network expanded the availability of SAP audio since the start of 2012, Fox Sports chose to retain Spanish audio of their MLB coverage exclusively on Fox Deportes. On the 9th of October 2010, Fox Deportes picked up Spanish language rights to Formula One coverage. That contract ran through 2012. In August 2012, NASCAR and Fox Deportes made a deal to have the network broadcast 15 races. Six of those races were live broadcasts. One of these events is the Daytona 500.
Total Sports 360 operates as a nightly news program produced in Mexico City covering sports events of interest to Hispanics living in the U.S. Punto Final functions as a nightly debate program also produced in Mexico City. FOX Deportes commentators and reporters based in Los Angeles, California, USA appear as needed alongside teams from Juárez, Monterrey, Tijuana, and Torreón, Mexico. El Chiringuito de Jugones represents a Spain-based nightly soccer talk show from Atresmedia's Mega. This show focuses on coverage of the domestic La Liga and overall European soccer. Gol x Gol América serves as another news program covering soccer events in Latin America and the United States. Mauricio Kawas, Neptalí Valle, Felipe Valencia, and Emma Ramos are in the studio for this production. Each episode features reports from correspondents including Gustavo Martínez, José Aspillaga, Feisal Rishmawy, and Juan Andrés Ponce. Popular FOX Deportes talents Rodolfo Landeros and Álvaro Izquierdo also feature regularly. Beginning on the 15th of October 2024, the channel will air a Spanish language news program called Fox Noticias. It is produced by corporate sibling Fox News and initially hosted by Rachel Campos-Duffy.
As of February 2015, approximately 21,831,000 American households received Fox Deportes. This figure represented 18.8% of households with television. The network achieved significant viewership numbers during key sporting events between 2011 and 2017. The 2011 UEFA Champions League final drew 1.57 million viewers according to TV By The Numbers. Super Bowl XLVIII reached 561,000 viewers. The 2015 UEFA Champions League final attracted 1.45 million people. The 2015 Copa Libertadores finals second leg saw 979,000 viewers tune in. Game 7 of the 2016 World Series brought in 565,000 viewers. Super Bowl LI reached 650,000 viewers which was noted as a non-soccer record for the time. The 2017 UEFA Champions League final drew 1.24 million viewers. These statistics highlight the substantial audience base the channel has built over its history.
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Common questions
When did Fox Deportes launch and what was its original name?
Fox Deportes launched on the 1st of November 1993 under the name La Cadena Deportiva Prime Ticket. The network began as a sister operation to the original Prime Ticket regional sports network designed for Spanish-speaking audiences in the United States.
What major rebranding changes occurred between 1995 and 2010 for Fox Deportes?
The entity changed names multiple times starting with Prime Deportiva on the 1st of April 1995 and becoming Fox Sports Américas on the 1st of October 1996. It later became Fox Sports World Español in February 1999, adopted the name Fox Sports en Español in 2002, and finally received its current title Fox Deportes on the 1st of October 2010.
Which soccer leagues does Fox Deportes hold rights to broadcast?
Fox Deportes holds rights to international soccer including MLS, Liga MX, and Liga MX Femenil. The network also acquired English-language and Spanish-language TV rights to the Coupe de France on the 4th of January 2023 and secured rights to the Saudi Pro League beginning during the 2023-24 season.
When did Fox Deportes first broadcast the Super Bowl and what other NFL coverage does it provide?
Fox Deportes carried Super Bowl XLVIII which was the first time a Spanish-language sports network broadcast the Super Bowl in the United States. The channel continues to carry all NFL games with Spanish-language play-by-play via the SAP channel regardless of a game also airing on Fox Deportes.
What is the household reach of Fox Deportes as of February 2015?
As of February 2015 approximately 21,831,000 American households received Fox Deportes representing 18.8% of households with television. This figure represents the substantial audience base the channel has built over its history through key sporting events between 2011 and 2017.