ESPN and Grande Communications Announce Digital Basic Distribution for ESPN Deportes

Grande Communications Now Offering ESPN Deportes to Customers in Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Midland, Odessa, San Antonio and San Marcos

En Español

Underlining their commitment to serving the Hispanic community, ESPN and Grande Communications announced today the addition of 24-hour Spanish-language network ESPN Deportes to Grande Communications’ digital basic channel line-up in Austin, Corpus Christi, suburban northwest Dallas, Midland, Odessa, San Antonio and San Marcos as of April 29th. 

“Joining Grande Communications in delivering ESPN Deportes and its incredible line-up of Spanish-language sports programming to digital basic subscribers in these Texas markets is a very exciting opportunity for ESPN” said David Preschlack, executive vice president, Affiliate Sales and Marketing, Disney and ESPN Media Networks.  “ESPN Deportes demonstrates our commitment to serving Latino sports fans with culturally-relevant content, and this is a great step forward to making the network accessible to viewers nationwide.”

“Latino audiences represent the most dynamic, vibrant demographics in our Texas market today and a powerful trend nationwide.  As a Texas company, Grande has always made their growing influence as digital cable viewers a top priority in creating our entertainment lineup,” said W.K.L. “Scott” Ferguson, chief operating officer, Grande Communications.  “ESPN Deportes adds international excitement and star-power to our strong Spanish-language programming.  We are proud to deliver this win to viewers in Texas.”  

ESPN Deportes will be available to Grande Communications’ digital basic customers on Channel 130. 

ESPN Deportes offers unparalleled Spanish-language sports programming, featuring more than 1600 live and/or original hours of sports programming presented annually. The network telecasts a variety of sports programming including Major League Baseball, exclusive winter baseball from the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Venezuela, Liga Mexicana de Béisbol (summer baseball from Mexico); NBA; Monday Night Football, ONEFA (college football from Mexico); the most extensive coverage of the UEFA Champions League, Mexican First Division Soccer, South American World Cup Qualifiers, 2008 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifiers, EURO 2008; Wimbledon, Mexican Tennis Open, French Open, Australian Open; US Open Golf; IRL Indy Car Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and much more. 

About ESPN Deportes

ESPN DEPORTES is the leading multimedia, Spanish-language sports brand dedicated to providing the widest variety of sports to the U.S. Hispanic sports fan via television, online, print, radio and wireless. Sports media assets include ESPN Deportes television; ESPN Deportes Radio, the only around-the-clock Spanish-language sports radio network in the U.S., and currently available in 11 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic radio markets and also distributed on SIRIUS Satellite Radio; ESPN Deportes La Revista, the first general sports Spanish-language magazine in the U.S.; ESPNdeportes.com, the #1 Spanish-language sports Web site among Spanish-preferred fans in the U.S.; and ESPN Deportes Wireless, the brand’s  emerging business which offers Spanish-language sports content, photo gallery and much more. 

About Grande Communications (www.grandecom.com)

Headquartered in San Marcos, Grande Communications® is building a deep-fiber broadband network to homes and businesses from the ground up. Grande delivers high-speed Internet, local and long-distance telephone and digital cable over its own advanced network to communities in Texas. Grande's bundled service area includes portions of Austin, Corpus Christi, suburban northwest Dallas, Midland, Odessa, San Antonio, San Marcos and Waco. Grande also leverages its telephone and data infrastructure by serving enterprises and communications carriers nationwide with broadband transport services and network services. Grande’s voice network terminates traffic worldwide, offering both traditional and IP-based services; its managed modem network provides coverage nationwide; and its private line and metropolitan networks provide optical services in Texas and surrounding states. Grande’s 5,000-fiber-mile network incorporates SONET-based technology for protection, diversity and optimal performance.

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