From Buenos Aires and beyond, SportsCenter celebrates 15 years in Latin America

Mechi Margalot makes her SportsCenter debut, May, 2015, with Pablo Stecco.

Juan Martín del Potro guest stars in a Latin America version of “This is SportsCenter,” with Quique Wolff, September, 2015. (PLZphoto)

Quique Wolff and Miguel Simon prepare to go on air, January, 2003

International soccer star Lionel Mess (right) joins Quique Wolff on the first noonday show of Latin America SportsCenter, February 2006 (PHOTO CREDIT)

Miguel Simon and Alejandro Coccia, fifth anniversary of the Latin America SportsCenter, November 15, 2005 (Graciela Pace)

This week marks the 15th anniversary of SportsCenter in Latin America.

The first episode was produced live from ESPN’s Buenos Aires studios and hosted by Enrique “Quique” Wolff, a former Argentine National Men’s Team defender.

Today, SportsCenter in Latin America includes six regional versions airing on several ESPN-branded television networks. SportsCenter content is also available on the Latin American ESPN.com, ESPN Play (the WatchESPN of the region), via mobile alerts and on social media, including Facebook (/SportsCenter ESPN, 3 million followers) and Twitter (@SC_ESPN, 500,000 followers). The editorial content of the regional SportsCenter includes not only the day’s tops news, analysis and in-depth commentary, but also the latest in South American sports — especially soccer — and athletes.

SportsCenter is a recognized leader of Latin American sports journalism, having been awarded five Martin Fierro prizes for “Best Sports News Program” by APTRA (the Association of Television and Radio Journalists of Argentina) in 2008, 2009, 2012-2014.

Since March 2009, the ESPN Media Center, ESPN International’s studio home in Buenos Aires, has produced more than 30 original editions per week of SportsCenter, formatted for multiple screens and platforms, with editorial coverage targeting Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The anchors — a mix of top sports journalists and former players — include: Wolff, Miguel Simon, Alejandro Coccia, Pablo Stecco, Jorge Barril, Pablo Ferreira, Fernando Carlos, Tito Puccetti, Mercedes Margalot, Guillermo Poggi, Marcelo López, Gustavo Sgalla, Camilo Castellano, Clara Tamara, Juan Ignacio Guillem and Agustín Alvarez.

This February, the Latin American SportsCenter debuted an all-new look, including four modular sets that can be reconfigured into one 360-degree multisport space. Other changes include enhanced graphics and a new version the show’s signature “Da da da, Da da da” theme song. The new production resources allow for increased interactivity with Bristol, Conn., studios and other ESPN sets around the world.