The game: 

1. Telemundo Deportes AHORA is a 24/7 Spanish-language sports channel delivering 50+ hours per week of original programming, live events, and specialist coverage. With FIFA World Cup 2026 on the horizon, the channel widens the sports narrative with expert analysis and coverage of fútbol, LATAM basketball, MMA, bare-knuckle boxing, and the Pro Padel League.

2. The on-air bench is elite: Andrés Cantor, Carlota Vizmanos, Diego Balado, Luis Omar Tapia, Jorge Calvo, José Luis López Salido, Miguel Gurwitz, and Isabella Echeverri, among others—extending national and international fútbol coverage with credibility and depth.

Julio Sonino on the vision

“With Telemundo Deportes AHORA we’re going to revolutionize the FAST Channel industry.”

“Our Sports department has so many events in hand that we needed a platform to stage them—and sports is live, by definition.”

Prime time isn’t a slot anymore—it’s a stream

With 50+ weekly hours of originals and Miami-tuned algorithms—in a city where 78% of households have at least three connected devices—this is the first true cross-platform neuromarketing case at scale in Spanish-language media.

The future is FAST (and Telemundo knows it)

FAST isn’t a fad—it’s the answer to a fractured attention economy. With Deportes AHORA, Telemundo isn’t just aggregating viewers; it’s building an ecosystem where every touchpoint (TV, mobile, OTT) feeds a unified monetization funnel. In Miami, where 41% of households speak Spanish, this is a power move in the cultural influence game.

FAST Channels: The Game Changer Miami Didn’t See Coming

1. What defines a FAST channel?

• Hybrid model: Free + programmatic ads + multi-platform streaming

• Core advantage: Marrying lean-back linear programming with digital ubiquity (Roku, Samsung TV, YouTube)

Macro shifts

• U.S. penetration: From 33M users in 2018 to 116M in 2025 (C21Media)

• Miami engagement: 34% of 18–34s watch FAST while working (Comscore)—a white space for brands

Telemundo’s formula

• Glocal content: European fútbol + LATAM basketball + MMA (up 40% with Hispanic audiences since 2023)

• Talent as IP: Andrés Cantor (92% recognition in the U.S.) and Carlota Vizmanos (female engagement leader on social) as emotional anchors

Neuromarketing in Motion: Why FAST Is a Brand Sweet Spot

2. Audience breakdown (Nielsen)

• 18–34: 43% of FAST consumption; want snackable content (15-minute highlights, viral duels)

• 25–49: 51% make purchase decisions during live-event ad breaks

• 50+: 22% growth in adoption; key for insurance and pharma retail

Not a channel—an engine of micro-moments

Roughly 60% of this content is consumed on mobile—during commutes, breaks, or second-screen sessions.

Monetization tactics

• Dynamic ads: Geolocated spots in Miami during Pro Padel League matches

• Product Placement 3.0: Brand integrations inside tactical analysis (e.g., sponsor-branded 360° cams in FIFA 2026 coverage)

• Experience stack: From content to IRL—fan fests, VIP lounges, live games, branded boutiques, cross-overs with other attractions

The Battle for Cultural Code: Fútbol, Algorithms, and Gen Z

3. Miami content strategy

• Fútbol 24/7: 30% of the grid, emphasizing Concacaf and MLS (local audience up 18% since 2024)

• Bare-knuckle boxing: Leveraging Cuban and Puerto Rican communities (42% of Florida’s Hispanic market)

Tech behind engagement

• ML-driven scheduling: Real-time lineup tweaks based on X trends (e.g., “Messi” search spikes after MLS goals)

• Auto-shorts: Every live event generates 5–7 sixty-second clips for TikTok/Instagram Reels, with accounts driving back to the FAST channel

Market proof points

• The Roku Channel—top FAST service—reached households totaling nearly 145M people by end of 2024

• 70% of U.S. streamers know FAST and watched FAST content in the last 3 months (Nielsen)

FAST vs. Traditional Streaming: The ROI Advertisers Need

4. Competitive advantages

• CPM: ~30% lower than YouTube (Mediamath, 2025)

• Retention: 58% of users watch 45+ minutes per session vs. 22% on SVOD

Sports = outsized upside

• FIFA World Cup 2026: Alliances already forming with wearables and sports betting apps (U.S. market projected at USD $12B that year)

• Premium sponsors: Brands pay a 15% uplift for placements in post-match analysis featuring high-credibility journalists

Technical FAQs (for advertisers and media buyers)

How do you monetize without subs?

Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) + sponsored thematic blocks (e.g., “Boxing Nights” with nutrition brands)

Why does fútbol anchor FAST?

It drives 73% more social interactions vs. other sports (Sprout Social)—perfect for hybrid revenue models

What’s next for FAST?

Generative AI building personalized highlight reels based on each user’s viewing history (pilot slated for Q4 2025)

 Read Smart, Be Smarter!

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