¡Golazo! How Brands Bet on Fútbol to Win Big this Summer

By John Kozack , EVP, Multimedia Sales, TelevisaUnivision

There’s no shortage of chatter about the explosion of soccer in the U.S. this summer, and we can confidently say that TelevisaUnivision is leading the charge as the premier platform for fútbol in the U.S., breaking records and driving passionate fandom. 

"CONMEBOL's first Copa América in the United States since 2016 has been a massive success for TelevisaUnivision, whose live sports coverage currently accounts for 19 of the top 20 Spanish-language programs aired in the U.S. during 2024," ADWEEK 's Jason Notte reported.

From the high-stakes matches of CONMEBOL Copa América to the thrilling contests of UEFA Euro Cup, our networks and platforms have been the go-to destination for soccer enthusiasts, ensuring fans have access to the beautiful game morning, noon, and night. This extensive coverage has captivated audiences and driven record viewership, delivering massive impact for brands.

Here are three takeaways from our Verano de Campeones coverage, and insights for how brands can keep the momentum rolling.

1. Brands’ Desire to Connect Through La Cultura is Stronger Than Ever.

La Cultura is the heart and soul of Hispanic culture: the language, the flavors, the music, la familia, el fútbol. Culture drives connection, and for many Hispanics, fútbol is a core pillar of their culture and identity.

With exclusive Spanish-language rights to both Copa América and Euro Cup, TelevisaUnivision saw tremendous demand, with major brands investing in reaching our growing and exclusive audience, ultimately selling out our Copa ad inventory, ADWEEK continued. (link)

Copa América 2024 was our highest-grossing tournament ever (excluding World Cup), driven by record growth across all platforms, including linear, streaming and social.

Connecting through sports creates an unmatched opportunity for brands to tap into the passion of U.S. Hispanics. Advertisers who recognize the value of in-language and in-culture are embraced by our fans, creating long-lasting connections that continue far beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch.

2. Fútbol is Breaking Records across Linear, Streaming, and Social

Fans, or as we call them, fanáticos, have been connected at all hours of the day, helping deliver record ratings to Univision, TUDN, and ViX.

• Our coverage of major soccer championships this summer, inclusive of Copa America and UEFA Euro Cup, as well as Liga MX’s Campeón de Campeones, have set new benchmarks in viewership: Copa America 2024 delivered a 63% increase in viewership compared to the 2021 group stage.  

• The Copa America tournament averaged 1.48 million Total Viewers per game, outperforming competitors by 45%. 

• The Euro Cup tournament's ratings have seen a double-digit increase compared to 2021, demonstrating the network’s dominance in delivering top-tier soccer content. 

• The Campeón de Campeones match between Club América and Tigres saw a 45% increase in viewership, averaging 827,000 total viewers.  

However most impressive was the double header championship day on Sunday, July 14, where Spain defeated England in the Euro Cup, and Argentina bested Colombia in an electric match of South American foes – both delivering historic viewership and engagement. 

• The Euro Cup Final between Spain and England delivered 3 million Total Viewers and 1.5 million Adults 18-49, the most-watched Euro telecast ever in Spanish-language.
• TelevisaUnivision’s telecast of Copa América final peaked at 6.66M Total Viewers.
• Together, Copa America and Euro were the top two most-streamed sporting events ever on ViX in the U.S., drawing 30 million total streaming hours.
• Univision was the #1 most social TV network of the day across all broadcast & cable networks with 12.2 million total social interactions. 

3. Our Partners Kicked It Up a Notch – And Scored Multiple Goals

Key sponsors crafted custom advertisements, linear integrations, and social spots for our fútbol broadcasts, creating a deeper connection with viewers. These custom elements not only enhanced brand visibility among our millions of viewers but resonated more effectively with our passionate Hispanic audience.

Verizon – Custom Advertisement – Copa América

Exclusive telecommunications sponsor Verizon tapped into surging viewership through a custom, Copa América advertisement, in-language and in-culture, also promoting our streaming platform ViX, where users could live stream tournament matchups anywhere, from any device.

Mastercard and Paysend – Creator Content – Copa América

As an official sponsor of CONMEBOL Copa América, Mastercard and Paysend are supporting priceless moments, and those who leave everything on the field - from actors, to fubolistas, to small business owners.

Wingstop – Creator Content – Copa América

Wingstop Restaurants Inc. activated on linear and social, leveraging "Hot Take" talent and soccer legends for rapid-fire conversations about the Copa América tournaments, comparing the Wingstop flavors to various matchups.

Expedia – Creator Content – Liga  MX 

Expedia Group and TelevisaUnivision collaborated with a beloved Hispanic creator family known for their deep connection to community, heritage, and the beautiful game, sharing social content surrounding their travels to the Liga MX Campeón de Campeones with Expedia. 

The Continued Impact for Brands 

TelevisaUnivision’s soccer coverage continues to captivate Hispanic America – Leagues Cup, the very first two-league tournament sanctioned by the Confederation, starts this week, featuring matchups between 18 Liga MX clubs and all 29 MLS clubs from the U.S. and Canada. With 54% of all soccer viewing in the U.S., the biggest opportunities for brands to win with fútbol are here at TelevisaUnivision. Don’t miss out on your chance to score big with U.S. Hispanic families and fans.

Sources: 

Nielsen, NPM, L+SD data

Talkwalker Social Content Ratings, 07/14/24, linear episode-level and network-level total interactions, All Broadcast & Cable networks, 2021 Final Game: 07/10/21 

Talkwalker Social Content Ratings, All Broadcast & Cable networks, linear episode-level average interactions, Final Game data: linear episode-level total interactions, Sports Events. Copa America 2024 Tournament Dates: 06/20/24 – 07/14/24, Copa America 2021 Tournament Dates: 06/13/21 – 07/10/21