ESPN Deportes Gains Digital-Basic Berth In Texas With Time Warner Cable

Network Available To 1 Million Subs Via Upgrade In Dallas, San Antonio, Harlingen, El Paso, Austin

Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 9/7/2009 9:54:32 AM

ESPN is receiving a 30th birthday present of sorts, as its Spanish-language service is being upgraded by Time Warner Cable in Texas.
ESPN Deportes, which had been available on the operator's Spanish-language package in the Lone Star State, will migrate today to Time Warner Cable's digital-basic service in Dallas, San Antonio, Harlingen, El Paso and Austin.
The move, which comes 30 years to the day that ESPN made its bow by presenting SportsCenter for the first time in its studios at its headquarters in Bristol, Conn. will make ESPN Deportes available to almost 1 million Time Warner Cable in the aforementioned markets. Deal terms were not disclosed.
With the improved positioning, ESPN Deportes is now available on digital basic in seven of the top 10 U.S. Hispanic markets -- Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Dallas-Forth Worth, San Antonio, Phoenix and Harlingen.
"This agreement represents another step forward in our efforts to make ESPN Deportes more broadly available to fans in major and emerging U.S. Hispanic markets across the country," said David Preschlack, executive vice president, affiliate sales and marketing, Disney and ESPN Media Networks, in a statement. "ESPN Deportes will be available to almost one million Time Warner Cable digital-basic customers in Dallas, San Antonio, Harlingen, El Paso, and Austin, and the fact that it coincides with ESPN's 30th Anniversary is a tangible example of how our mission to serve the fan has evolved over the years."
Noted Gary Underwood, Time Warner Cable vice president of communications for Texas:"Time Warner Cable in North Texas is excited to make ESPN Deportes available as part of our popular Digital Basic tier. This change represents even more value and diversity for our digital customers here in North Texas."