Behind The Mic: Telemundo FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Broadcast Team Boasts Largest Women Commentary in Spanish-Language History

Behind the Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week’s edition, WBD announces reporters for the eighth installment of  ‘Capital One’s The Match’; Derek Jeter makes analyst debut at MLB World Tour: London Series presented by Capital One.

Telemundo Introduces FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Broadcast Team Anchored by Largest Women Commentary Roster in Spanish-Language Media History

Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, unveils its complete broadcast lineup and announce teams, featuring a commentary team with the most women ever in Spanish-language U.S. media history.

The network’s broadcast schedule is outlined below, including all 64 matches will air live and exclusively in Spanish with 33 on Telemundo – the largest ever FIFA Women’s World Cup matches on a broadcast network in U.S. television history – 31 on Universo, and every match streaming live on Peacock starting July 20 through August 20.

“For us, the Women’s World Cup is more than a premier global sporting event – it is an opportunity to contribute to something bigger, and we’re proud to enhance our coverage with experienced and diverse voices,” says Eli Velazquez, Executive Vice President of Sports, Telemundo. “We will be complementing our team of top sports commentators and journalists with the depth and expertise of former coaches, players, and referees who will provide their unique on-the-pitch perspectives offering our viewers the most thorough analysis throughout the tournament.”

Telemundo’s cross-continental production will feature on-the-ground coverage across Australia and New Zealand anchored by Telemundo’s Emmy-nominated sports host Ana Jurka, Emmy-award winning sports journalist Miguel Gurwitz, lead Premier League host Carlota Vizmanos and World Cup veteran reporter and Telemundo 48’s Carlos Yustis as the official hosts, leading the pre-, halftime and post-game analysis. Sports journalist and host Veronica Rodriguez will host Telemundo’s leading late-night weekend sports show, Zona Mixta, throughout the tournament.

Onsite in-venue announce team will be led by Hall of Famer, seven-time Emmy award-winner Andres Cantor with analysis by former Mexican National Team and Chivas player Manuel Sol and former U.S. Soccer coach Natalia Astrain. Additional announce teams will feature play-by-play by two-time Emmy award nominee Sammy Sadovnik, the voice of World Cup 2019’s Final Copan Alvarez, well-known soccer host and announcer Daniella Lopez-Guajaro, and accomplished Spanish-language sports broadcaster Jorge Calvo.

Experienced sports analyst Eduardo Biscayart and sports journalist Diana Rincon join the coverage as lead analysts. In addition, the soccer experts will join Telemundo Deportes’ announce teams to serve as analysts for relevant matches.

Team of Experts Joining Telemundo Deportes’ FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™Coverage:

Natalia Astrain (Spain/USA | Coach), former U.S. coach, returns as guest analyst for Women’s World Cup joining Cantor’s announce team onsite after making history with the network during the World Cup Qatar 2022 calling Morocco-Portugal alongside head coach of the Costa Rica women’s national football team Amelia Valverde, the first ever Men’s World Cup match called by two women.

Deyna Castellanos (Venezuela| Forward) rejoins Telemundo Deportes’ commentary team as a guest analyst after contributing to the coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. Castellanos is a forward for Manchester City’s Women’s Super League Club and the Venezuela women’s national team.

Isabella Echeverri (Colombia | Center back) former soccer player who last played as a center back for the Liga MX Femenil club CF Monterrey and the Colombia women’s national team. Telemundo Deportes welcomes Echeverri to the team for the first time.

Janelly Farias (Mexico| Center back) is a Mexican soccer player who was part of the Mexican national team during the Women’s World Cup in 2006 and who provided analysis for the Women’s World Cup in 2019 for Telemundo. Farias is also the co-host for NBCU’s new bilingual podcast My New Favorite Futbolista / Mi Mundialista Favorita profiling the most-inspiring FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 stars.

Jaime Herrera (Mexico | Referee) is recognized for being the first Mexican referee to officiate in the Major League Soccer. During his 19-year career he officiated international tournaments such as Copa Libertadores among others. The retired referee joined Telemundo for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™ and returns this summer to analyze the calls for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 this summer.

Kenti Robles (Mexico | Right Back) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a right back for Spanish Primera División club Real Madrid CF and the Mexico women’s national team.

Maxi Rodriguez (Argentina | Midfielder) is a former Argentine footballer nicknamed “La Fiera” returns to Telemundo after his successful participation in Qatar. Previously, the legendary midfielder left his mark in Spain playing for Espanyol and Atlético Madrid then spent two years with Liverpool in England, and returned to Newell’s Old Boys where he began and ended his career. Rodríguez represented his country in three World Cups, finishing second in 2014. One of his career highlights occurred in Germany 2006 when he scored the goal that eliminated Mexico during the extra time of the Round of 16 match played in Leipzig.

Lucila Venegas (Mexico | Referee) is an international football referee from Mexico who became a FIFA listed referee in 2008. Since then, she served as an official at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

Telemundo’s presentation marks the first time in U.S. television history the women’s competition is broadcasted in its entirety in Spanish and the most matches ever airing live on a U.S. broadcast network, regardless of language. In addition, the highly anticipated tournament this summer will be the first-ever Women’s World Cup on Peacock, the exclusive Spanish-language streaming home of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, which will stream every match live.

FOX Sports Readies for Trip Across the Pond With MLB World Tour: London Series Presented by Capital One

On the heels of its successful presentation of the World Baseball Classic in March, FOX Sports continued to showcase the global growth of Major League Baseball with coverage of the MLB World Tour: London Series presented by Capital One, featuring the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, exclusively on Saturday, June 24.

Beginning at 12:00 PM ET on FOX, tip your cap to the Captain as five-time World Series champion, 14-time All-Star and Hall of Fame Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter makes his highly anticipated studio analyst debut. Jeter is joined at the Emmy-Award winning pregame desk by veteran host Kevin Burkhardt, World Series champion and 14-time All-Star Alex Rodriguez and fellow Hall of Famer David Ortiz.

Emmy-Award winning veteran reporter Tom Rinaldi contributes to the show with a feature on the impact of baseball in the city of London.

FOX MLB’s lead crew of play-by-play announcer Joe Davis and Hall of Famer John Smoltz were set to call from London Stadium at 1:00 PM ET on FOX – and just ahead of receiving NSMA’s 2022 National Sportswriter of the Year Award, Emmy Award-winning reporter Ken Rosenthal provides live updates and inside information from the field.

Renowned play-by-play announcer Jaime Motta and former Mexico National Team manager Edgar Gonzalez take the helm on FOX Deportes’ coverage.

Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Announces Broadcast Team for Capital One’s The Match

Warner Bros. Discovery Sports’ eighth installment of Capital One’s The Match, the Sports Emmy-nominated premier live golf event series, will feature a star-studded team of personalities and veterans from across the sports world.

Six-time Emmy Award winner Ernie Johnson will return to host his third Capital One’s The Match and will be joined by Inside the NBA colleague and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, making his seventh appearance in the event as a player or commentator. 2008 Masters Champion Trevor Immelman will make his sixth event appearance as analyst, and Kathryn Tappen will return as course reporter for the second time.

Four-time NBA Champion and Inside the NBA analyst Draymond Green and two-time Super Bowl champion and host of Bleacher Report’s The Voncast Von Miller will also be joining the team as special contributors, providing commentary while following the participants from a golf cart throughout the live competition, as well as additional content across Bleacher Report’s platforms.

Capital One’s The Match will for the first time ever feature NFL and NBA superstar duos going head-to-head, as teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce face off against Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

TNT will exclusively televise the 12-hole event, to be held Thursday, June 29, with coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET, from Wynn Las Vegas, the only golf course on the Las Vegas strip. Bleacher Report will have extensive coverage leading into the evening’s action.

J.J. Watt Joins CBS Sports

J.J. Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, has agreed to a multi-year deal with CBS Sports to serve as an NFL studio analyst across all platforms. Watt will make his first appearance on THE NFL TODAY in Week 1. The announcement was made by David Berson, President, CBS Sports.

“We are thrilled to welcome J.J. to the CBS Sports family and add one of the greatest defensive players of all time to our team,” says Berson. “As he steps off the field after a Hall of Fame career, J.J. brings deep passion, unique insights and opinions from today’s NFL. We think fans will love what J.J. brings to our coverage.”

“I love the game too much to be away from it entirely. I’m very excited to be joining CBS Sports to contribute across all their NFL shows and platforms, including working alongside and learning from JB, Coach, Boomer, Phil and Nate this fall,” says Watt. “Hopefully fans will enjoy the insights and knowledge I’ve gained over my 12 years in the NFL and if we’re lucky, we’ll share a few laughs along the way as well.”

Drafted by the Houston Texans in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin (No. 11 overall), Watt played 12 NFL seasons with the Texans (2011-20) and Arizona Cardinals (2021-22). A five-time NFL First-Team All Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, Watt was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times and also honored as the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. He is the only player in NFL history to record multiple seasons with at least 20 sacks and finished his career with 114.5 sacks.