ESPN Deportes’ 2010 World Cup Programming Plans revealed.

As part of ESPN’s multilanguage coverage for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa in the U.S., ESPN Deportes will provide Portuguese-language telecasts of more than 40 live matches of the World Cup. The telecasts will complement the network’s comprehensive Spanish-language news and information coverage of the quadrennial sports event (June 11 – July 11, 2010). ESPN, Inc. owns the rights for all FIFA events in all languages, except Spanish in the U.S. through 2014.

ESPN’s English-language coverage presented live and in high definition, will be featured on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN360.com. Univision has the exclusive Spanish-language rights to 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

“There’s a thriving Portuguese-speaking community in the U.S. that lives and breathes soccer” said Lino Garcia, general manager, ESPN Deportes. “With Brazil, undoubtedly one of the most followed soccer teams in the world, and Portugal qualifying last week, we are leveraging our multilanguage rights to better serve the passionate Portuguese-speaking fans. We will also continue to provide our core audience the most in-depth news and information coverage that they have come to expect from ESPN Deportes.”

This will mark the first time ESPN will televise the World Cup in Portuguese in the U.S. ESPN360.com, the company’s broadband network, will also offer coverage of the World Cup matches in Portuguese, in addition to other languages to be announced at a later date. During the group stage, ESPN Deportes will focus on matches featuring Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Mexico and the USA.

In addition to live match coverage in Portuguese, ESPN Deportes will surround the games with its leading news and information franchises, including SportsCenter and Fútbol Picante, offering fans the most comprehensive Spanish-language news and information coverage throughout the month-long soccer showcase. ESPN Deportes’ news and information shows will have significant presence from South Africa and up to 10 reporters generating content from site. Coverage of the event will include SportsCenter segments, nightly, pre- and post-match shows, with additional studio programming originating from Johannesburg.

Highlights of planned 2010 World Cup News and Information Shows:

· SportsCenter (12 -1 p.m.; 4:30-6:00 p.m.; 11-12:00 a.m. and 1-2a.m.) three editions daily – a 90-minute news, highlights and analysis program aired at the conclusion of the last match of the day – and two live one-hour editions to wrap-up all the news and information of the day;

· Jorge Ramos y su banda (1-2:30 p.m; 3-4p.m.) ESPN Deportes Radio’s soccer talk-show (simulcast on ESPN Deportes) will originate from South Africa and feature co-hosts Jorge Ramos and Hernan Pereyra with live guests, entertaining discussions of the day’s sports news and analysis. The program will be broadcast on ESPN Deportes Radio (simulcast on ESPN Deportes) each day in-between the early matches and at the conclusion of the last match of the day( only on ESPN Deportes Radio);

· Fuera de Juego (6-6:30 p.m.) will present significant portions of the live international soccer program from Johannesburg;

· Sudáfrica al día (6:30-7:00 p.m.) will air during the tournament and feature hits from site on relevant news surrounding all the action from South Africa;

· Juego Cruzado (7 p.m.) the network’s program modeled after Around the Horn will feature the show’s daily panelists opining from newspaper newsrooms in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Mexico;

· Cronómetro (7:30 p.m.) the network’s program modeled after Pardon the Interruption will originate entirely from South Africa featuring co-hosts Jose Ramon Fernandez and David Faitelson debating the hottest topics of the day throughout the tournament;

· Fútbol Picante (8-9 p.m.) the network’s Mexican soccer news program will be aired daily and follow Mexico’s National Soccer team and their journey through the World Cup.