ESPN has signed a deal with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to broadcast all major televised WorldHockey events in Latin America until the end of 2008. It's the second major television broadcast deal secured by FIH in the past month.
The deal, which is of the highest value ever for international hockey in Latin America, includes broadcast of both the Men’s and Women’s World Cups and Champions Trophy tournaments and will guarantee exposure of hockey major events through ESPN’s networks in Latin America, which offer the widest pay TV penetration in the region.
BDO WorldHockey, FIH’s four-weekly magazine programme to be launched in June, will also be shown on the channel during primetime.
Miguel Alcibar, ESPN Sur Acquisitions & Programming Director, expressed the company’s satisfaction in achieving this deal with FIH, which will enhance hockey’s exposure following ESPN’s efforts of support and broadcasting through its regional networks in the last five years.
Els van Breda Vriesman, FIH President, commented, “ESPN’s reach throughout Latin America is vitally important to FIH’s development strategy as it greatly increases exposure of international hockey in many of FIH’s key development territories. Argentina’s excellence in hockey development has played a significant part in both their men’s and women’s teams’ rapid rise to become major forces in international hockey. With the women’s BDO Hockey Junior World Cup taking place in Chile in September, it is hoped that similar achievements can be repeated in other Latin American countries.”
Steven Morris, FIH Marketing Manager, added, “ESPN has shown huge commitment in recent years to domestic hockey in Argentina and has been instrumental in establishing the stars of Argentina’s highly successful women’s team “Las Leonas” as household names there. The broadcaster’s addition of rights to major WorldHockey events will allow ESPN to bring all the best of international hockey to its viewers.”
