Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

SVG Sit-Down: Fox Deportes' Sergio Verdu Aims To Synergize Technologies With Fox Sports

15/10/2021

SVG Sit-Down: Fox Deportes' Sergio Verdu Aims To Synergize Technologies With Fox Sports Veteran president of production joined the network in March after years at ESPN By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital

Friday, October 15, 2021 - 2:51 pm

Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

The first and longest-running Spanish-language sports network in the U.S. is nearing a milestone.

Next month, Fox Deportes will have been on the air for a quarter of a century, and the network is running as strong as ever. Based in Los Angles, the domestic Spanish-language broadcaster is home to a bevy of major properties: Liga MX (the top-flight soccer league in Mexico), NFL, MLB, Premier Boxing Champions, Major League Soccer, and the WWE.

Fox Deportes' Sergio Verdu: One of my first priorities - and it's happening right now - is to get as close as we can be with Fox Sports, especially in technology.

This year, the network made a key addition to its executive ranks, bringing in Sergio Verdu from ESPN as president of production. A veteran of the industry for more than two decades, Verdu was most recently director, production development and new projects, for ESPN and brings with him loads of broadcast experience at the global level. He played a key role in ESPN's carriage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup for Sub-Saharan Africa and helped craft a global strategy to grow UFC viewership.

Since joining Fox Deportes, Verdu has moved back west; been onsite for the MLB All-Star Game, the MLB at Field of Dreams event, and last weekend's Fury-Wilder III fight; and gained his footing in his new role.

As his new network prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary next month, SVG sat down with Verdu to discuss his acclimating to the role, growing technologically alongside Fox Sports, and what excites him about this new opportunity.

What has it been like to join the team at Fox Deportes?

I'll be honest, it has definitely been a challenge. I had all of this excitement [when I got started], and COVID made it difficult to be together with the team. That was hard for me. There were a lot of Zooms.

I have to say, I was really, happily surprised about the culture at Fox. I report to Mike Davies [SVP, field operations, Fox Sports], and he has been fantastic. He has introduced me to all the key executives at Fox Sports and is helping integrate me. That helps me see how my department fits into the larger, 360-degree view of what's going on when I'm not there in the day-to-day. Now that I'm [in L.A.], it feels the way it should. People stop by your office, and everyone wants to talk to you. That understanding of how Fox operates has been absolutely fantastic. I know so many executives here already, and that tells you a lot.

One of my first priorities - and it's happening right now - is to get as close as we can be with Fox Sports, especially in technology. Fox Deportes is in a different building from Fox Sports, and COVID certainly did not help us when it came to linking technologies. I'm happy to say that today we have a plan in place to upgrade our facilities and be completely in sync with what Fox Sports is doing from a technology perspective.

The open approach that those guys - Mike and [Fox Sports VP, Field Operations and Engineering] Brad Cheney - are giving us and [Fox Deportes Director, Production] Ruben Rocha, who is our guru, is a fantastic thing. We are, right now, so close to everything that they do.

LigaMX is a massive property for you, and I feel like the average sports-media person in the U.S. doesn't get how big Mexican sports can be for the Spanish-language sports viewer in this country. What are the big projects and top priorities for you as you join the family?

LigaMX is the number-one property for us. To your point, I don't think people understand the scope of some of those events in the Hispanic market and how that market consumes TV. We were lucky that one of the teams that we have the rights for, Santos Laguna, got to the final last season. We got 900,000 viewers for the first leg of that. When you share those numbers with people, they don't understand the scope of those ratings. This is a huge event. In the U.S.! There's a market from an advertising point of view and a marketing point of view, and we've working to continue to improve that.

Rights are different in Mexico. In the U.S., the NFL may control the rights to all of their clubs. LigaMX is split up by teams. Every time there are rights on the market, we need to be available to bid for them. When you work with those teams, you become more than a broadcast partner. We become full partners, meaning how can we help each other? How can we help the teams with their marketing campaigns in the U.S.?

It's not just paying for the signal. We have a much deeper relationship with them, and I think that's good for the broadcast. We get more access. For one of our teams, our broadcast booth converts to a mini studio, and, when there aren't matches, we can use that studio to create all kinds of content with a view of the stadium behind us.

Is there anything new in particular that you and your team are working on?

Yes, absolutely. In our productions of LigaMX, we were able to introduce our own version of the Megaladon [mirrorless] camera. We were the first to do it in the soccer world [in the U.S.]. That's something that I am so proud of. We are also using a drone on those games as well.

In terms of our building at 1440 [S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles], I'm super happy to share that we are going to be redoing our studios in this fiscal year. The good part of that is, Fox Sports is also working on their studios at Pico, and we are taking advantage of those designs and that technology and applying that to our building. That's a great project of synergy betwe
LINK: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2021/10/15/svg-sit-down-fox-deportes-presi...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

06/10/2025

France Tlvisions Wins Prestigious 2025 EBU Technology & Innovation Award in Groundbreaking Collaboration with Dalet

France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...

04/09/2025

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Dalet Win Prestigious 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...

07/08/2025

Tata Motors & Dolby Bring Dolby Atmos to Harrier.ev, Redefining In-Car Entertainment Experience

July 8 2025, 22:30 (PDT) Tata Motors & Dolby Bring Dolby Atmos to Harrier.ev, R...

12/07/2025

Retracing Ryan Coogler's Sundance Institute Journey

Ryan Coogler accepting the 2013 Vanguard Award. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez. Editor's Note: In honor of Fruitvale Station s 12th anniversary, we're d...

12/07/2025

Key Code Education Launches New Adobe Premiere Pro Engineer Certification

Key Code Education, the professional training division of Key Code Media, proudly announces a major update to its Adobe Premiere Pro Engineering and Advanced Op...

12/07/2025

Key Code Education Launches New Hands-On Training Programs for Ross Video, Vizrt, EditShare, and SNS

Key Code Education, a leader in instructor-led post production training for over...

12/07/2025

TV Station Groups Launch Texas Flood Relief Efforts

As the death toll continues to mount, with at least 120 killed and more than 170 people still missing on July 10 from devastating Texas floods, a number of broa...

12/07/2025

DirecTV Adds ViX Premium With Ads to MiEspaol Genre Pack

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., and MIAMI -DirecTV and TelevisaUnivision have signed a deal that will make the ad-supported premium subscription tier of ViX, ViX Premium wi...

11/07/2025

2025 Sundance Institute Producers Lab Fellows Announced

PARK CITY, UTAH, July 11, 2025 - The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today the 11 producers chosen for its annual Producers Labs, returning to Ucross Fou...

11/07/2025

Superman' Filmmaker James Gunn Reveals the Playlists Inspired by Your Favorite Characters

If you've ever wondered what might be playing in Clark Kent's headphones...

11/07/2025

L3Harris Delivers First P-8A Poseidon Aircraft to US Navy

L3Harris Technologies President of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Jason Lambert and General Manager of L3Harris Waco facility Sean Ling held a ce...

11/07/2025

WETA Launches WETA+ Free Streaming Service

ARLINGTON, Va. WETA, the flagship public media station in the national capital area, has launched WETA+, a new streaming service tailored for the local Washingt...

11/07/2025

TV Tech's Top Regulatory Stories of 2025

The Federal Communications Commission has emerged as one of the central players in the broadcast TV landscape in 2025, with its deregulatory policies sparking h...

11/07/2025

Calrec to Feature Suite of Interconnected Audio Solutions at IBC2025

Calrec will introduce usability, customization and system enhancements across its entire range of Argo consoles during IBC2025, Sept. 12-15, at the RAI Amsterda...

11/07/2025

Encompass Supports DAZN's Coverage of 2025 FIFA Club World Cup

LONDON Encompass Digital Media said it will support live and on-demand viewing of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup across multiple global regions for sports enterta...

11/07/2025

SBE Survey: Certified Broadcast Engineers Earn More

Two-thirds of broadcast engineers reaped the benefits of a pay raise within the last year....

11/07/2025

SmallHD Unveils Quantum 27 OLED Monitor

CARY, N.C. SmallHD has launched the Quantum 27, a new 26.5-inch Quantum-Dot OLED monitor designed to deliver postproduction image quality in a compact, set-frie...

11/07/2025

Tegna Will Pay $225K to Settle FCC Investigation

The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau and Tegna have entered into a consent decree that will settle an investigation into the accidenta...

11/07/2025

Sens. Markey, Lujn Again Call for FCC Vote on Paramount-Skydance Merger

WASHINGTON Following news in early July that Paramount had settled President Donald Trump's lawsuit, Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Ben Ray Luj n (D-N...

11/07/2025

Model/Actriz Performs Lead Single Cinderella on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Model/Actriz Performs Lead Single Cinderella on The Late Show with Stephen Colbe...

11/07/2025

Behind the Mic: Amazon Prime Preps for First Season of NBA Action; MSG Networks Adjusts Broadcast Booths for Rangers, Devils

Behind the Mic: Amazon Prime Preps for First Season of NBA Action; MSG Networks ...

11/07/2025

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Suite Studios' Craig Hering on Adapting to Clients' Needs With Scalable Cloud-Based Storage

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Suite Studios' Craig Hering on Adapting to Client...

11/07/2025

2025 SVG Content Management Forum Breaks Down AI's Impact, Continued Transition to the Cloud

2025 SVG Content Management Forum Breaks Down AI's Impact, Continued Transit...

11/07/2025

A Journey HOME: University of Nebraska's HuskerVision Goes IP

A Journey HOME: University of Nebraska's HuskerVision Goes IP Leaders from the HuskerVision and Lawo share their IP learnings By SVG Staff Friday, July 1...

11/07/2025

CMSI, Remote Picture Labs, Ace ESPN's Cloud-Based Editing Efforts for Wimbledon

CMSI, Remote Picture Labs, Ace ESPN's Cloud-Based Editing Efforts for Wimble...

11/07/2025

Netflix Enters the Live-Boxing-Production Ring for Round 2 With Historic Taylor-Serrano 3 Card at MSG

Netflix Enters the Live-Boxing-Production Ring for Round 2 With Historic Taylor-...

11/07/2025

'Too Hot to Handle: Italy' Is Coming on July 18 Only on Netflix

Back to All News Too Hot to Handle: Italy Is Coming on July 18 Only on Netflix Entertainment 11 July 2025 GlobalItaly Link copied to clipboard July 11, 20...

11/07/2025

Netflix Will Release 'Death Inc.' Seasons 1, 2 and 3

Back to All News Netflix Will Release Death Inc. Seasons 1, 2 and 3 Entertainment 11 July 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to clipboard Season 1 Season 2 Se...

11/07/2025

AI and Multimedia Authenticity Standards Collaboration

AI and Multimedia Authenticity Standards Collaboration launches two papers to guide the future of AI integration, today at the AI for Good Global Summit The...

11/07/2025

A Gaming GPU Helps Crack the Code on a Thousand-Year Cultural Conversation

Ceramics - the humble mix of earth, fire and artistry - have been part of a global conversation for millennia. From Tang Dynasty trade routes to Renaissance pa...

10/07/2025

Taliban repression silences award-winning Afghan woman journalist

The current holder of the prestigious Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year Award has been forced to stop reporting over fears for her safety in Afgha...

10/07/2025

A New Report Puts Aussie Artists in the Spotlight

Spotify is turning up the volume on Australian music with a multipronged initiative designed to highlight the dominance of Australian artists on the global stag...

10/07/2025

Spotify Toasts Oasis's Return With Exclusive Ways for Fans to Get Closer to the Music That Defined a Generation

This is not a drill: Oasis is back on the road-marking its first live performanc...

10/07/2025

Spotify and Youth Music Open Doors for Future Artists

The music industry depends on fresh ideas, bold voices, and emerging talent. Yet across the U.K., too many young musicians lack the space to develop their craft...

10/07/2025

Nielsen Appoints Richard Pacheco as Head of Global Partnerships

NEW YORK - July 10, 2025 - Nielsen, the global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics, today announced that it appointed Richard Pacheco as head of ...

10/07/2025

Sponsored: Robotic Deployments Are Transforming Local News

Local newscasts don't exist in a vacuum. News directors and station management constantly evaluate what's working, what isn't and perhaps most impor...

10/07/2025

Stuttgart Media University Upgrades Studio with Lawo mc56

Lawo has announced that Stuttgart Media University (Hochschule der Medien, HdM) has comprehensively modernized its central recording studio after selecting an I...

10/07/2025

SMPTE Opens Early Bird Registration for Media Technology Summit

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has opened early-bird registration for the Media Technology Summit, which will take place in a ne...

10/07/2025

TNDV Television Launches Aspiration 35 to Support Cinematic Workflows

NASHVILLE, Tenn. TNDV Television has launched Aspiration 35, a new version of its 40-foot Aspiration truck reimagined for cinematic multicamera productions....

10/07/2025

Key Code Education Launches Beginner, Intermediate Training Courses

BURBANK, Calif. Key Code Education, a provider of instructor-led postproduction training, is growing its curriculum with new programs for beginner and intermedi...

10/07/2025

Actus Digital to Show Actus X Intelligent Monitoring With AI at IBC2025

HACKENSACK, N.J. Actus Digital will demonstrate how broadcasters can transform compliance monitoring from a necessary expense into a strategic revenue driver at...

10/07/2025

Comments on FCC Ownership Rules Due in August

The Federal Register has published a summary of the Federal Communications Commission's Public Notice seeking comments on its ownership rules that lists a d...

10/07/2025

Netflix Presents the Official Trailer for 'Superestar'

Back to All News Netflix Presents the Official Trailer for SuperestarPlay Video Play Video Entertainment 10 July 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to clipboard...

10/07/2025

From Terabytes to Turnkey: AI-Powered Climate Models Go Mainstream

In the race to understand our planet's changing climate, speed and accuracy are everything. But today's most widely used climate simulators often strugg...

10/07/2025

Indonesia on Track to Achieve Sovereign AI Goals With NVIDIA, Cisco and IOH

As one of the world's largest emerging markets, Indonesia is making strides toward its Golden 2045 Vision - an initiative tapping digital technologies and...

10/07/2025

VEON and Cohen Circle Secure Investor Commitments for Kyivstar Listing

10 Jul 2025 VEON and Cohen Circle Secure Investor Commitments for Kyivstar Listing Kyiv, New York, Dubai, and Philadelphia - July 10, 2025 - VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq:...

10/07/2025

5G for All? What the DFL's Use of Easy5G, RefCam Could Mean for Events in the Future

5G for all? What the DFL's use of Easy5G and RefCam could mean for events in...

10/07/2025

Save the Date: PGA TOUR Studios Welcomes SVG Remote Production Summit on Oct 14-15

Save the Date: PGA TOUR Studios Welcomes SVG Remote Production Summit on Oct 14-...

10/07/2025

Cloud on the Road: How Remote-Production-Service Providers Are Adapting to a New Era

Cloud on the Road: How Remote-Production-Service Providers Are Adapting to a New...

10/07/2025

Seattle Kraken's Ryan Schaber on the NHL Team Taking Live Game Productions In-House

Seattle Kraken's Ryan Schaber on the NHL Team Taking Live Game Productions I...