Telemundo goes all out with Confederations Cup coverage
Telemundo will send nearly 150 reporters, technicians, producers and other staff to Russia for next month’s Confederations Cup, the most significant commitment of resources the Spanish-language network has made to a soccer tournament in its 33-year history.
The eight-team event, to be played in four cities, is something of a dress rehearsal for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. And Telemundo, which in 2011 paid $600 million for the U.S. Spanish-language rights to that tournament and the 2022 World Cup, is approaching next month’s event the same way.
“This is the first major tournament that Telemundo has within the package of the World Cup rights,” said legendary broadcaster Andres Cantor, who will anchor the network’s coverage on Telemundo and Universo. “It definitely serves as a dry run to the things that you can expect a year later in the World Cup.
“I have no doubt that for Telemundo now, this will be great to prepare.”
Fox, which has the U.S. English-language rights to the next two World Cups, will also cover the Confederations Cup.
In addition to Russia, the host nation, the tournament field includes Mexico; reigning European champion Portugal; Germany, the reigning World Cup champions; and confederation titlists Australia (Asia); Chile (South America); New Zealand (Oceania); and Cameroon (Africa).
Joining Cantor on Telemundo’s list of analysts are former Mexican international Carlos Hermosillo; Fabio Capello, who coached England (2010) and Russia (2014) in the last two World Cups; and Raul “El Potro” Gutierrez, a former Mexico player who is now coach of the country’s U-23 team.
“This is our bread and butter, if you will. And obviously we will do it the right way by being on site at every game,” said Cantor, who estimates he does the play-by-play call on about 200 games a year, most of them off a TV feed from a studio in Hialeah, Fla.
“I have the dynamics and the know-how of how to call a game from the studio. But it’s beautiful when you are on the field,” he said. “You get to see the whole pitch when you’re in the stadium. You get to anticipate things that perhaps you can’t anticipate off-tubing a game because you only see what people are seeing at home.
“I would rather be at the stadium every time.”
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