NBCU’s Hispanic Enterprises and Content (HEC) and NBC Sports Group announced the creation of a new Hispanic sports production unit called NBC Deportes.
Eli Velazquez, who was promoted in January to EVP Sports, Hispanic Enterprises and Content, will lead NBC Deportes, which will leverage the resources of the NBC Sports Group.
The new unit will essentially take over the sports production role previously held by Telemundo Deportes. A company spokesperson insists NBC Deportes isn’t a rebranding, because the newly created unit will be responsible for generating content not just for Telemundo, but also for NBC Universo and all digital platforms.
While there is nothing certain, the spokesperson said “Deportes Telemundo” may continue to exist on the air of the Telemundo network.
The @TelemundoDeportes twitter handle, with its over 97,000 followers, has been taken over by @NBCDeportes.
In an email sent out on Tuesday afternoon, hours before Telemundo’s Upfront, HEC Chairman Joe Uva told staff:
“NBC Deportes will produce all of the sports events for all of our networks and digital channels, including all FIFA World Cup competitions, the Olympics, our CONCACAF World Cup and Olympic Qualifying tournaments, our Premier League matches, Liga MX games, the NFL, NASCAR and a line-up of action sports which will be added to the NBC UNIVERSO schedule over the next couple of years.”
NBC Deportes will capitalize on the parent company’s brand, logo and “incorporate the iconic Peacock.”
On February 1 of this year, NBCU/Telemundo rebranded mun2 to NBC Universo, using the same formula.
