Univision acquires rights coverage of new CONCACAF Champions League Tournament.

The Univision Networks announced that they will be the exclusive Spanish-language telecasters in the United States for the annual CONCACAF Champions League, a region-wide championship for premier soccer clubs, beginning with the inaugural 2008-09 season.

Twenty-four of the highest-ranked or reigning champion clubs from the Mexican Primera Division, Major League Soccer, the Costa Rican Primera Division, the Honduran Primera Division, the Guatemalan Primera Division, Salvadoran Liga Mayor, and other prominent leagues throughout CONCACAF will participate in the annual championship to determine the single best team in our continent.

The format of the CONCACAF Champions League calls for qualifying round matches, round-robin group play and a knockout or elimination round. Play begins each year in August and concludes with the finals series the following April. Univision plans to televise 52 primetime matches in total each year, primarily on its TeleFutura and Galavisión Networks.

“Univision is extremely happy to partner with CONCACAF to help launch this new event,” said David Downs, President of Univision Sports. “The success of this event in our market should even surpass the high standards achieved by such other continental club soccer competitions as the UEFA Champions League and South America’s Copa Libertadores. Our wonderful experience this past summer with the SuperLiga has convinced us that the competitive parity, passion and intensity of the rivalries across our region demands the creation of this event.”

“CONCACAF is very excited to expand our partnership with Univision through the CONCACAF Champions League, a new and truly unique championship,” said Chuck Blazer General Secretary of CONCACAF, “The Univision Networks’ positioning in the Spanish-speaking community in the United States will ensure broad television distribution and a very positive fan experience.”