ImpreMedia, which this week confirmed it is being acquired by a subsidiary of La Nación, has signed a multiplatform content and cross-promotion alliance with ESPN Deportes.
The one-year agreement, whose financials have not been disclosed, is the most comprehensive to date for both Spanish-language media properties. Starting this month, ESPN Deportes will provide branded sports content across impremedia.com and several of its individual properties, while several print and online properties owned by ImpreMedia will be featured on ESPN Deportes, both online and on cable television. In addition, both media companies will co-produce consumer promotions that will be available through each other’s various platforms including print, online, mobile and social media.
“This is really a great way for us to gain access to readers and fans that we potentially might not be reaching [on cable],” Michelle Bella, ESPN Deportes’ vp, sales and consumer marketing, tells Portada. Other benefits for ESPN Deportes: Using the network of newspapers of ImpreMedia to run special sweepstakes and promotions, reaching a greater share of U.S. Hispanics.
For ImpreMedia, the deal promises to give its sports writers and editors the opportunity to share insights, commentary and news on several ESPN Deportes properties, including Juego Cruzado, Jorge Ramos y su banda and NacionESPN. Also, in an unusual departure from sports-only content, ESPNDeportes.com will be featuring general news, which will be shown as provided by ImpreMedia.
The partnership has not been officially announced, and some of the features are still being worked out, say the companies. Different phases of the effort will be rolling out in the next weeks or so.
ImpreMedia in January announced the relaunch of its web sites, featuring improved content, navigation and multimedia features. According to ImpreMedia, its full network of sites showed a 191% increase in unique visitors in January over the past year.
