Fox Deportes has launched a new studio show that seeks to put all arguments to rest on things related to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The weekly series Debate Final will deliver to fans a unique set of special reports, interviews, analysis, opinion and team and player news from a roundtable of esteemed analysts, including Alberto García Aspe, Daniel “El Ruso” Brailovsky, Raul Orvañanos and Fabian Estay. Debate Final is anchored by Alejandro Blanco (pictured).
Fox Deportes is airing the recently launched program Thursdays at 6 p.m. ET and Sundays at 9 p.m. ET through the remainder of year; the show will air only on Sundays in 2014.
In an interview, Blanco said Debate Final will serve as a unique program for soccer fans eagerly awaiting the World Cup, given the abundance of FIFA-focused fare across a host of Hispanic broadcast and cable television networks.
“Debate Final is a destination show that will offer fans everything they want to know about the World Cup, from exclusive interviews to in-depth analysis to vast discussions about the teams and groups,” Blanco said. “We count on a panel of talent with a combined World Cup experience that is unparalleled. Our one-of-a-kind caliber of talent consists of ex-soccer stars who played in various World Cup tournaments, bringing audiences extensive experience and personal knowledge to the show.”
Aspe played in three World Cups for Mexico, while Fabian Estay played for Chile in the 1988 World Cup. Brailovsky is the only player to have been part of three different national teams, while Raul Orvañanos has covered nine World Cups, the most of any commentator of his generation in Mexico.
Debate Final will also seek to gain an online audience via social media. “Our goal is to create dialogue with fans via social media and to make the show as interactive as possible,” Blanco noted. “At the beginning of the show, we will encourage fans to send us questions and/or comments via [Twitter hashtag] #debatefinal that we can answer throughout the show.”
Blanco notes that the show is based in Mexico City, where Fox Sports Latin America has gained a formidable presence. But don’t expect discussion and debate that’s heavy on El Tri and Mexico.
“Taking into account all of the places where the show airs and recognizing our fan base, the show will have a balanced approach,” Blanco said. “We will dedicate special segments to Mexico, but the focus won’t be Mexico. We will pay special attention to CONCACAF, but in terms of coverage, we will cover all the teams from Central, South America, Mexico and the European teams, particularly Spain, to satisfy viewer appetites.”
