Univision is celebrating the numbers regarding its version of ESPN’s SportsCenter, Contacto Deportivo. The show which airs at midnight ET on Univision and Univision Deportes often head-to-head with SportsCenter has beaten ESPN in both July and August. To show this is no fluke, Contacto Deportivo’s numbers have been trending upwards while SportsCenter has been going down.

This marks the first time that Univision has beaten ESPN head-to-head. Now, Univision is many markets is over-the-air while ESPN is on cable, but in other areas, Univision is accessed on cable and satellite.

Univision says in August, Contacto Deportivo outranked SportsCenter in viewership:

  • “Contacto Deportivo,” which airs weekdays at 12a, averaged 542,000 Total Viewers 2+ in August, besting the daily 12a edition of ESPN SportsCenter by +5%.
  • “Contacto Deportivo” viewership increased +213% year-year among Total Viewers 2+ and +170% among Adults 18-49 in August, the fastest-growing sports news program on all television with both demos, regardless of language. Meanwhile, ESPN SportsCenter audience declined -8% among both Total Viewers 2+ and Adults 18-49.

The Wrap adds that the margin of victory for Univision over ESPN was a stunning 42%. And the news comes as ESPN is losing homes due to dreaded cord cutting. July marked the first time that Contacto Deportivo beat SportsCenter, but with college football starting and the NFL about to begin as well as the new Scott Van Pelt-centric show which will premiere tonight opposite CD, we’ll see if ESPN can beat Univision at midnight anew.

[The Wrap]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.