Fox Sports (Argentina)
 | |
| Country | Argentina |
|---|---|
| Network | Fox Sports International |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Spanish |
| Picture format | HDTV 1080i (downscaled to 480i/576i for the SD feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | The Walt Disney Company (Disney International Operations The Walt Disney Company Latin America) (pending sale approval with Mediapro) |
| History | |
| Launched | 1996 |
| Former names | Prime Deportiva (1995) Fox Sports Americas (1996–1999) |
Fox Sports is a group of channels available in Argentina and operated by The Walt Disney Company Latin America, a unit of the Disney International Operations. The network is focused on sports-related programming including live and pre-recorded event broadcasts, sports talk shows and original programming, available throughout Argentina. The network is based in Argentina.
History[edit]
The network was launched in 1996 as Prime Deportiva, under the ownership of Liberty Media. Prior to its launch, on October 31, 1995, News Corporation acquired a 50% ownership interest in Liberty's Prime Network group and its international networks (including sister channels Premier Sports and Prime Sports Asia) as part of an expansion of its Fox Sports properties in the Americas.[1][2] In 1996, the channel was rebranded as Fox Sports Américas, later shortened to Fox Sports in 1999. In 2002, Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst, a Dallas private equity firm, Liberty Media Corp and News Corp created a holding company (Fox Pan American Sports) to jointly operate FOX Sports Latin America.[3] News Corp owned approximately 38% interest.[4] Liberty later exited leaving HMTF and News Corp as co-owners of the cable network. News Corp purchased the ownership rights from HMTF of FOX Sports en Espanol and rebranded as FOX Deportes in 2010. News Corp purchased the remaining ownership rights for the holding company from HMTF and fully owned the FOX Sports Latin America cable network in 2011.
In 2009, a second feed called Fox Sports+ (FOX Sports mas) was launched, to allow simultaneous broadcasting of football. In 2010, FOX Sports signed a deal with UFC to be the first cable network to show it in Latin America. FOX Sports also opened a studio in 2010[5] in Mexico City where it broadcasts original programming and licensed programming. In 2012, the channel was renamed to Fox Sports 2, whereas Speed Channel was rebranded to Fox Sports 3.
On August 21, 2017, Fox launched a new channel called Fox Sports Premium that broadcast the replays of the matches of the Argentine Primera División until August 25, 2017, when the Superliga Argentina began an agreement with TNT Sports to share the directives of Argentine football.
On October 16, 2020, the Argentine Football Association would breach their television contract to broadcast Argentinian football with Fox Disney acquisition of 21st Century Fox, with TNT Sports being the only broadcasters leaving open the possibility that the Televisión Pública of reacquiring the rights. However, on October 30 the Argentinian court would rule in favor of Fox, with Fox being able to broadcast the matches.[6]
On January 29, 2021, Disney would reach in agreement with Argentine Football Association to broadcast Argentine Primeira Division matches until 2030 with its sister channel ESPN to also broadcast outside of Argentina with Televisión Pública broadcasting matches in Argentina.[7]
In November 2021, Disney announced that Fox Sports' main channel would be renamed ESPN 4 on December 1, 2021, while Fox Sports 2, Fox Sports 3 and Fox Sports Premium would continue on the air in Argentina due to Disney acquisition of 21st Century Fox not being yet approved.[8]
On January 20, 2022, CNDC ordered Disney to divest the Fox Sports television network from the 21st Century Fox purchase in order to get an approval from the government of Argentina.[9]
On February 15, 2022, Disney announced it would sell Fox Sports Argentina to Mediapro with the deal being expected to close in 2022, pending regulatory approval.[10]
It was announced that on May 1, 2022, Fox Sports Premium would rebrand to ESPN Premium following Disney acquisition of 21st Century Fox.[11]
Channels[edit]
- Fox Sports — It currently broadcasts the sports with the highest audience, such as the UEFA Champions League, Copa Conmebol Libertadores, F1, UFC and WWE.
- Fox Sports 2 — Launched in 2009 under the name of Fox Sports+ to be able to broadcast matches from the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, among other events. Fox Sports+'s North signal began its transmissions as a non-stop broadcast channel, in contrast to the South signal. As of November 5, 2012, this channel was renamed Fox Sports 2 as an uninterrupted programming channel.
- Fox Sports 3 — available since November 5, 2012, dedicated exclusively to motor sports, although they occasionally broadcast sporting events outside this branch. It replaced Speed Channel and they are operated from Argentina. As of 2022, it is no longer an exclusive motorsports channel.
Programming[edit]
Fox Sports Argentina broadcasts sports-related programming 24 hours a day in Spanish. The network carries a wide variety of sports events, including soccer (Copa Libertadores, Argentine Primeira Division etc.), and WWE programming. Fox Sports also aired talk shows (NET: Nunca es tarde) as well as other programming including exercise programs.
Sports programming[edit]
Football[edit]
- Copa Libertadores
- UEFA Champions League[12]
- Liga MX (Only for C.F. Monterrey, León and Pachuca home matches)
Other sports[edit]
- Formula One[13]
- Córdoba Open
- Liga ACB
- Premier Boxing Champions (Except PPV main card)
- Ultimate Fighting Championship (Except PPV main card)
- WWE (Raw, SmackDown, Main Event, NXT and Vintage)
Other programming[edit]
Alongside its live sports broadcasts, Fox Sports also airs a variety of sports highlight, talk, and documentary styled shows. These include:
- Especiales Fox Sports
- Expediente Fútbol
- Fox Gol: Especial Messi
- Fox Sports Clásico
- Fox Sports Rádio
- Momentos Eternos
- Review
- UEFA Champions League Classic
- UFC Clásicos
- La previa del partido
- Post partido
Personalities[edit]
- Alejandro Ruzal
- Agostina Larocca
- Federico Bulos
- Fernando Niembro
- Gustavo López
- Gonzalo Cardozo
- Guillermo Poggi
- Gustavo Yarroch
- Damián Trillini
- Daniel Retamozo
- Diego "Chavo" Fucks
- Diego Latorre
- Diego Monroig
- Esteban Edul
- Juan Manuel "Bambino" Pons
- Juan Carlos Pellegrini
- Julián Fernández
- Jorge Baravalle
- Jorge Barril
- Javier Tabares
- Leandro Alves
- Leonardo Gentili
- Leonardo Gabés
- Mateo Ferrer
- Marcelo Benedetto
- Martín Ponte
- Matías Sánchez
- Mauricio Gallardo "Damon"
- Nicolás Brusco
- Pablo Pons
- Pablo Schillaci
- Pablo Paván
- Raúl Barceló
- Renato Della Paolera
- Sebastián Porto
- Sebastián "Pollo" Vignolo
- Santiago Russo
- Tomás Dávila
See also[edit]
- Fox Sports International
- Fox Sports (Brazil)
- Fox Sports (Mexico)
- Fox Sports (Latin America)
- GOL TV
- ESPN Latin America
- TyC Sports
- DirecTV Sports
- Claro Sports
References[edit]
- ^ "FOX AND LIBERTY OUTLINE PLANS FOR NEW CABLE VENTURE". Sports Business Journal. Advance Publications. November 1, 1995. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
- ^ "TCI, LIBERTY AND NEWS CORP. HAMMER OUT SPORTS NET DETAILS". Sports Business Journal. Advance Publications. May 10, 1996.
- ^ www.bizjournals.com https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2002/02/04/daily17.html. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "SEC filing".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Fox Sports inaugurated new studios in Mexico | Superfights". en.superluchas.com. 2010-08-08. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
- ^ "El fútbol ya tiene fixture, pero la noticia es que la AFA "echó" a Fox Sports Premium". El Cronista. October 16, 2020.
- ^ "AFA y Disney: todo sobre el acuerdo por la transmisión de los partidos del fútbol argentino". El Cronista. January 7, 2021.
- ^ "Confirmado: Disney lanza Espn 4 en sustitución de Fox Sports" (in Spanish). November 11, 2021.
- ^ "Fusión Disney-Fox: la CNDC dictaminó la desinversión y puso condiciones para garantizar la competencia en el mercado de señales deportivas". CNDC. January 20, 2022.
- ^ "Anuncio oficial Disney vende los canales Fox Sports en Argentina al gigante chino Mediapro" (in Spanish). 15 February 2022.
- ^ "Argentina: Fox Sports Premium pasará a ser ESPN Premium". www.anmtvla.com. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
- ^ "Disney comienza a devolverle los derechos de TV a Fox Sports con la Champions League y la Copa Libertadores" (in Spanish). 15 February 2022.
- ^ "Fórmula 1: horarios, TV, cómo verla en Argentina y cuánto sale" (in Spanish). 15 February 2022.