CONCACAF Copa de Campeones kick Fox Sports en Español Past Telemundo, Galavision & TeleFutura in PT.

Fox Sports en Español’s exclusive telecast of the CONCACAF Copa de Campeones on April 19 catapulted the all-sports Spanish-language cable network past broadcast networks Telemundo and TeleFutura, as well as cable network Galavision. According to Nielsen Media Research, the second final featuring America and Toluca scored Fox Sports en Español the evening’s second highest-rated program from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. (ET) with a 2.9 national HH rating and delivered 270,000 impressions among the coveted 18-49 male demographic.

In Los Angeles alone, the April 19 match between the Aguilas (America) and Diablos Rojos (Toluca), which scored a 4.7 NHSI rating, easily out-dueled local English-language broadcasters ABC, CBS, NBC, UPN and WB, as well as reeled in a second place finish for Fox Sports en Español over Spanish-language nets Telemundo, Galavision and TeleFutura.

“Thanks in part to the amazing performances by America and Toluca, our telecasts of the CONCACAF Copa de Campeones have put us in great position to continue to deliver our viewers and advertisers one of our strongest soccer seasons to date,” said David Sternberg, executive vice president and general manager of Fox Sports en Español. “These ratings successes underscore our commitment to offering the best in live sports programming and provide a great backdrop to our annual upfront presentation to advertisers in New York next month.”

Overall, the 2006 edition of the CONCACAF Copa de Campeones delivered strong viewership gains for the network over its inaugural telecasts in CY05. Among men 18-49 and adults 18-49, ratings through the semifinals jumped an average of 77 percent and 75 percent, respectively. Both finals combined for an overall increase in ratings of 35 percent versus last year’s finals, and scored big among men 18-49 (+54%) and adults 18-49 (+64%).

Nearly five months into 2006, Fox Sports en Español already boasts six of the ten most-watched sports programs on Spanish-language cable among men 18-49 and adults 18-49.

America’s win marks its fifth CONCACAF crown (1977, 1987, 1990, 1992, and 2006) and equals the overall best mark held by Mexico’s CDSC Cruz Azul. The victory secured America an automatic berth as the CONCACAF qualifier to the FIFA Club World Cup this December in Japan, while Toluca’s Diablos Rojos will be one of the three CONCACAF invitees to this year’s Copa Nissan Sudamericana beginning in August. Both the Copa Nissan Sudamericana and the FIFA Club World Cup will be telecasted exclusively in Spanish by Fox Sports en Español later this year.