América Móvil, the Mexican telecommunications company owned by multi-billionaire Carlos Slim, has reached an agreement to broadcast the 2014 winter Olympic Games through 26 of Mexico’s regional television networks.
In addition to the 26 networks, América Móvil will broadcast next year’s Games through its Claro Sports cable television channel and on its UnoTV website.
América Móvil in March acquired rights across Latin America for the 2014 Games in Sochi and the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The deal, which excluded Brazil, the host country of the 2016 Games, covers Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The Bloomberg news agency said the Sochi 2014 deal proves América Móvil can reach a national audience without working with Mexico’s two main broadcasters, Televisa and TV Azteca.
“These will be the Olympic Games with the most coverage in the history of Mexico,” Arturo Elias, Slim’s spokesman and the director of UnoTV, said.
Elias added that América Móvil remains open to striking a programming deal with both Televisa and TV Azteca.