TelevisaUnivision: Major events like the Copa América provide a platform to showcase content to a diverse audience

TelevisaUnivision’s Copa América coverage in the US presents a unique opportunity to showcase content that resonates with the country’s rich demographic.

“There’s a big difference in the audience when you show a game on Univision and TUDN. You attract a broader audience – kids, women, people who aren’t necessarily soccer fans or sports fans in general. They might not always watch the games, but they tune in when their teams play, becoming a perfect opportunity to bring them on board. So, while we offer the sport itself, we also need to provide humor and entertainment as a whole,” Miguel Ángel García, EVP, Live Events & Production Services of TelevisaUnivision, told PRODU. He also is responsible for the matches and the preview -Central Soccer- of Copa América 2024.

García commented that with his group they produced the 2016 edition of Copa América Centenario in the US. They also produce the event for Televisa in Mexico, but there is a big difference in terms of dimension.

“In the US, we’re focusing on all teams because fans are the true representatives of each team. We’re tailoring our coverage to each fanbase, discussing their national team selections, and preparing our editorial and production teams to give equal attention to everyone. Our goal is for every fan to feel like we’re representing their chosen team,” he explained.

To deliver on its commitment to represent all teams, TelevisaUnivision’s Sports division has assembled a team of renowned analysts. This group includes Enrique Borja, Hugo Salcedo, Iván Zamorano, Kikin Fonseca, Manuel Barrera, Marc Crosas, and Oswaldo Sánchez. Additionally, TelevisaUnivision has bolstered its coverage with legendary former national team players as guest analysts: Javier Zanetti (Argentina), Paulo Wanchope (Costa Rica), Blas Pérez (Panama), and Marcelo Balboa (USA), alongside expert analyst Diego Balado. “That’s why we prioritize giving equal importance to all the teams participating in both Conmebol and Concacaf.”

“There’s no doubt that soccer’s on the rise. Look at the Copa América coming to the US in 2024, the Club World Cup in 2025, and of course, the World Cup across three North American countries in 2026. For a network like Univision, this surge in popularity makes it even more important to provide comprehensive coverage for all fans,” he said.

In addition to the Copa América, they will be simultaneously offering the Euro Cup in the mornings.

LOCAL FLAVOR
García emphasized that their coverage goes beyond the standard international feed. They add their own unique ‘touch and personality’ by using additional cameras not available in the international broadcast. This allows them to provide on-site narration and deploy resources closer to the action, like having their own setup to host the special guests they’ve invited.

He mentioned they’ve been ramping up for the Copa América by visiting the training grounds of all 16 participating teams. “We dispatch an editorial team to conduct interviews with players and coaches we call ‘Personal Brands.’ We’ve even visited all the training camps to get the full picture,” he said.

These short features will air both before and during the matches, giving viewers a chance to catch “all the exclusive content we produced leading up to the Copa América.”

“For months, we’ve been crafting stories about each venue, exploring what soccer means to the local communities. We want to bring that passion to our audience. Whether we’re in Miami with a team, following the national team in Houston, or catching Mexico’s final group stage match in Glendale, our crews go beyond just covering training sessions. They capture the stories that fans themselves are living, bringing the spirit of the Copa América to life,” he explained.

They’re also revamping their Miami studio to host all the special guests you’ll see in the pre-shows, including entertainment personalities like Clarisa from El Gordo y la Flaca and Alan Tacher from Despierta América. “We’re revamping the studio for summer. It’s called ‘Summer of Champions’ to celebrate the exciting tournaments coming up. We’ll have a fresh, summery look with the graphics, and of course, continue to deliver the entertainment, sports, and news content you love.”

Another detail is that they are redesigning the Miami studio where all the special guests who will be seen in the previews will be concentrated, and entertainment talents such as Clarisa from El Gordo y la Flaca and Alan Tacher from Despierta América. “We are giving the studio a summer touch, it is called Verano de Campeones (Summer of Champions) because of all the tournaments we have, with cooler, more summer graphics, with this entertainment, sports, and news content,” he concluded.

ENGAGEMENT
García pointed out a key takeaway from covering the Copa América Centenario in 2016: the incredible fan engagement. “We saw fans from Uruguay and Argentina on planes, flying across the country to follow their teams. Those are the kinds of passionate moments we’ll capture and showcase in our previews.”

He explained that blending sports with these vibrant stories creates a much more engaging viewing experience. “That’s why we’re expanding our team – adding Alan Tacher from Despierta América for entertainment, alongside news anchors Ilia Calderón and Jorge Ramos. It’s similar to our approach with the Super Bowl, where we prioritize reaching audiences who might not typically watch soccer.”

In total, TelevisaUnivision will broadcast a staggering amount of Copa América content:
250-300 hours in the US, 200-250 hours in Mexico. This translates to approximately 450-500 hours of binational coverage.

“On Univision, you’ll get a full hour of pre-game coverage, followed by the match itself. Then, switch over to TUDN, our dedicated sports channel, for an additional three hours of preview,” he said.

TAKEAWAYS
With extensive experience producing major events like the World Cup and Champions League, García and his team wasted no time. They began preparations two and a half years ago upon learning about this exciting challenge, alongside the upcoming Olympics in Mexico. The key, he emphasizes, lies in effective delegation within the team to ensure meticulous attention to every detail.

“For Copa América, for instance, we have separate production and technical teams. The production team handles logistics like booking hotels and signals for the 45 personnel covering each match. Univision and Televisa each have their own dedicated on-site narration teams. Our extensive experience in these venues streamlines planning compared to a broadcaster from, say, Colombia or Argentina. We know exactly who to contact. This is a big advantage because we constantly produce events here in the US. The Mexican national team plays 10 games a year here, and we handle all that production. Mexican clubs also participate in various US tournaments, further solidifying our operational efficiency,” he said.

PLANNING
When it comes to covering and producing these major sporting events, García emphasizes the importance of having multiple backup plans in place. This includes redundancy for broadcast signals, additional on-site content beyond narration, real-time statistics to keep viewers engaged, and even the use of artificial intelligence for probability-based game predictions. He also highlights their focus on cutting-edge technology, from signal and audio transmission to utilizing the latest equipment to ensure smooth handling of all the traffic.

García explained an innovative approach for some games: bringing all the broadcast signals directly to the studio. This allows the director and producer, who won’t be in a traditional truck at the stadium, to operate each camera individually – just as if they were on-site. “This setup streamlines real-time graphics integration, giving us a significant efficiency boost,” he said.

They can even create dedicated feeds for the entertainment team if needed. This signal-multiplying capability is a powerful asset, unseen by home viewers, but crucial for delivering content across all our platforms.