ESPN is ending its ESPN Deportes Radio network on September 8.
Some of the ESPN Deportes Radio programming will shift to podcast delivery including “Jorge Ramos y Su Banda” and “Raza Deportiva”. The company will produce 10 additional Spanish language podcasts as well.
Sports Business Daily adds that the move will lead to layoffs for 10 full-time and 25 part-time employees as ESPN closes its Coral Gables FL offices.
While down in affiliates from a few years ago, the shut down will leave affiliates such as Lotus Broadcasting’s 1330 KWKW Los Angeles and 1460 KENO Las Vegas, Actualidad 990AM’s 990 WMYM Miami, Entravision’s 710 KBMB Phoenix and 1090 KMXA Denver, Multicultural’s 1680 WTTM Philadelphia, and Liberman’s 1540 KZMP Dallas seeking new programming. ESPN owned 1050 WEPN New York will switch back to the English language national ESPN Radio feed.
“Hispanic audience consumer habits are changing rapidly and this requires ESPN to evolve as well. It’s no secret Hispanic fans skew heavily on digital and social which is why we made the decision to discontinue ESPN Deportes terrestrial radio (ESPN Deportes Radio) in September. Moving forward, ESPN will continue serving Hispanic sports fans with the widest variety of sports through multiple platforms including television, digital, social, mobile and audio podcasts.”
Wonder if this will affect the ESPN DEPORTES tv channels as well?
And is ESPN Radio (English) the next to go?
To quote the source SBD article, “The move to close down ESPN Deportes Radio will not affect the rest of ESPN Deportes’ businesses, including its TV and digital operations.”
And, as far as the English-language radio network goes, I can’t see a wholesale retreat there anytime soon.