XV Pan American Games Rio 2007 @ ESPN Deportes.

The Pan American Games, last televised on ESPN in 1999, will be making a comeback to ESPN this summer. ESPN Deportes, the company’s Spanish-language network, today announced that it has acquired the exclusive Spanish-language multimedia rights throughout the United States and Puerto Rico to the XV Pan American Games Rio 2007. The Pan American Games, the largest international sports competition in the world after the Olympics, will celebrate the 2007 edition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil July 13 – 29.

Like other recent ESPN Deportes rights acquisitions, the agreement includes access to extensive content that will fuel ESPN Deportes’ multimedia assets including ESPN Deportes television, ESPN Deportes Radio and ESPN Deportes Wireless. ESPNdeportes.com, the leading Spanish-language sports site in the U.S., will have non-exclusive Spanish-language rights in the U.S.

“This agreement clearly underscores ESPN’s leadership and commitment to offering first-class sporting events to the Hispanic sports fans and advertisers in the U.S.,” said Traug Keller, senior vice president, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio. “The Pan American Games represent national pride, honor, and glory and we’re thrilled to be the exclusive platform showcasing these world class athletes as they compete to represent their home countries.”

“This is another milestone in our effort to offer marquee sporting events that are culturally-relevant for our audience,” said Lino Garcia, general manager, ESPN Deportes. “ESPN Deportes’ coverage of the 2007 Pan American Games is the most comprehensive that the event has ever had in the U.S. and we are proud to bring Hispanic fans all the drama and excitement that comes with this prestigious event. We look forward to working with the Pan American Sports Organization to take this event to higher levels of exposure and growth in the U.S.”

Aside from television rights in the U.S., ESPN International announced earlier this year that it will offer live coverage of the XV Pan American Games Rio 2007 on ESPN Brasil, the company’s sports network in the country.

Occurring once ever four years and during the year prior to each Olympic Games, The Pan American Games is a multi-sport, quadrennial event for the Americas; it includes Olympic and non-Olympic program sports. The XV Pan American Games will take place throughout the city of Rio de Janeiro and will feature approximately 5,500 athletes from 42 countries competing in 33 different sports.

Some of the most notable athletes who have competed in past Pan American Games include Michael Jordan (basketball), Carl Lewis (long jump), Sugar Ray Leonard (boxing), Tino Martinez (baseball), Hugo Sanchez (soccer) and Pernell Whitaker (boxing).