TelevisaUnivision Upfront Features Super Bowl News, Ilia Calderon Crime Show, and Luis Fonsi

TelevisaUnivision had its upfront presentation at Pier 36 in Manhattan May 16, where the speakers included host Alejandra Espinoza, Donna Speciale, president of U.S. advertising sales and marketing, Vix CEO Pierluigi Gazzolo and Ignacio Meyer, president of U.S. networks.

“I am one woman sharing my voice with the 62 million viewers” the TelevisaUnivision networks serve, Espinoza said. She introduced Speciale, who noted the “endless points of connection, by Hispanics, for Hispanics,” that TelevisaUnivision represents.

“Today, we are the leader in entertaining the Spanish-speaking world — a powerhouse portfolio of media brands and capabilities with no equal,” she added.

Meyer said TelevisaUnivision has been considered a sleeping giant. “Guess what —we’re awake,” he said. “Our portfolio has never been as robust and as dynamic as it is today.”

Angelique Boyer and Sebastian Rulli star in El Extrano Retorno De Diana Salazar, coming to streaming Vix in 2024. An adaptation of a telenovela, it is about two soulmates trapped in the threshold between life and death over several centuries.

Circo Gomez, about a dysfunctional family that runs a traveling circus, is in development for Vix. Eugenio Derbez is behind the series.

Unscripted shows include Mira Quien Baila, De Noche Pero Sin Sueno and Hotel VIP. 

Sports highlights came from sports anchor Alejandro Berry, and include TelevisaUnivision scoring the rights for Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024, its first-ever national broadcast of an NFL game. TUDN, which has produced the game for viewers in Mexico, will work with CBS Sports to produce the Super Bowl.

Berry got an assist from former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz on that announcement.

In other sports news, Copa America comes to TUDN and TelevisaUnivision next summer. Univision extended its deal with the Mexican national team for three more years, and the network will air Leagues Cup, featuring the best of MLS and Liga MX. “A clash of the titans,” said Berry, who got some help from soccer icons Hristo Stoichkov, Carles Puyol and Romario on the announcements.

News anchors Jorge Ramos and Ilia Calderon spoke about Calderon hosting Vix true-crime series Senales Del Crimen. “Audiences are fascinated with true-crime shows,” Ramos said.

The 2023 Latin Grammys happens live from Seville November 16. TelevisaUnivision called it the first international telecast in the history of the show.

To wrap things up, Luis Fonsi sang a couple of numbers, including his smash “Despacito.” About an hour and five minutes after it began, the TelevisaUnivision upfront event concluded.