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# sports festival

  • Telemundo Unfolds Its "Next Level" 2024-25 Upfront Appeal

    Once upon pre-coronavirus pandemic times, Telemundo would bring its executive team and talent to New York mid or late April for an Upfront breakfast showcase. Since 2020, NBCUniversal's Spanish-language TV organization made its annual public event for advertisers and press a two-parter, with a virtual unveiling of key announcements and strategy out of its Miami headquarters in April, followed by a concert opening night of NYC Upfront week mid-May. For 2024, Telemundo resumed the single event approach May 13, bringing attendees together at a first-time Upfront Week venue -- The Shed, the new performing arts/entertainment center of Manhattan's chic Hudson Yards district.

    Simon ApplebaumSimon Applebaum
  • Walmart vs. Amazon: A New Frontier in Retail Competition

    The advertising landscape is witnessing a seismic shift with Walmart's $2.3BN acquisition of Vizio, a move that not only underscores the retail behemoth's ambition to expand its footprint in the connected TV (CTV) business and advertising but also signals a pivotal moment for the competition among retail giants and the Automated Content Recognition (ACR) data market.

    Gabe GreenbergGabe Greenberg
  • 2024: The Year Sports Broadcasting Redefines Fan Experience

    As we advance into 2024 and beyond, sports broadcasting is on the cusp of a revolutionary transformation, driven by cutting-edge technology, innovative content, and a reshaping of the sports themselves. These changes signify a fundamental shift in how sports are played, viewed, and experienced. Cricket, arguably the most rapidly evolving of all major sports, is at the forefront of this evolution. As the Chief Operating Officer of Willow, offering more live, streaming and on-demand cricket than any other sports service, I have had the unique opportunity to witness this evolution firsthand. I’ve collected a few insights and predictions on how these groundbreaking developments will reshape cricket and have a profound impact across the entire sports broadcasting industry.

    Todd MyersTodd Myers
  • FreeWheel Increases Live Sports Ambitions Following Its Big World Cup Win

    While last year's World Cup games are now in the rearview mirror, they've provided a big forward thrust for upcoming live sporting events for FreeWheel, a Comcast-owned global technology platform for the television advertising industry.

    Simon ApplebaumSimon Applebaum
  • "American Idol" Celebrates Its Platinum Anniversary

    Twenty years ago, Fox launched a little singing competition show. Originally programmed as a summer fill-in, no one involved had any idea exactly what American Idol was, or what they were walking into. The show's U.K. version, Pop Idol, had proven hugely successful on its home turf, but Fox spared any expense when bringing the show stateside. With just ten final contestants vying for the title, it soon became must-see TV. Be it the caustic honesty of British import Simon Cowell in his critiques; the unexpected, frustrated outbursts at Cowell by Paula Abdul, or the wealth of knowledge from Randy Jackson, the first season of Idol was mostly all about the judges. Kelly Clarkson, who today remains a prominent fixture on television, would be crowned the season's winner, and future seasons would highlight talents like Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks and Jennifer Hudson, to name a few.

    Steve GidlowSteve Gidlow
  • Estrella Media Takes a New Approach to Virtual Upfront Events

    When Estrella TV last conducted an Upfront event in New York, in-person, it was a Spanish-language broadcast network with a primetime lineup unlike most of its competition. Telenovelas were out; talk/variety hours and talent competitions were in. As Estrella Media, the company returned to the Upfront scene last Thursday as a multi-channel, multi-platform entity, with its Estrella TV mothership dipping into weekly scripted territory in the months ahead.

    Simon ApplebaumSimon Applebaum

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