02/28/2007 12:56 PM ET
D-backs announce landmark Spanish TV broadcast schedule; Team to offer most games on TV in Spanish among MLB clubs
KPHE-TV 44 to televise 50 home games in 2007
PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks announced today that 50 of the team's home games in 2007 will be televised locally on KPHE-TV Channel 44 as part of a three-year contract with the Spanish-language television station, according to D-backs President Derrick Hall. The team's Spanish telecast schedule represents the most games produced solely for a Hispanic audience among all Major League Baseball teams.
"As Phoenix's Hispanic population grows at a rapid rate, it better serves our fan base to telecast D-backs games in Spanish," Hall said. "We have always offered our Spanish radio broadcasts on SAP during all Diamondbacks telecasts, but our new deal with KPHE-TV 44 goes a step further and offers a dedicated over-the-air telecast to the many bilingual and Spanish-speaking Diamondbacks fans in the Phoenix area."
Oscar Soria, who is one of the most respected baseball commentators in the Hispanic community after serving as a Diamondbacks broadcaster for the past six seasons and for the Hermosillo Naranjeros of the Mexican Winter League for the past 16 seasons, will handle the play-by-play on all of the D-backs Spanish telecasts. Miguel Quintana will call the game on Radio Fiesta 1400 AM KSUN. Soria and Quintana will team together on radio when there are no Spanish telecasts.
The D-backs first Spanish telecast will air on April 15 when the Colorado Rockies visit for a 1:40 p.m. game at Chase Field. Other telecasts include games against the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, among others.
"KPHE-TV 44 is excited to be carrying 50 of the Diamondbacks games this season," said Ken Kwilosz, Jr., Vice President and General Manager of KPHE-TV 44. "The Diamondbacks games will help us provide the local professional sports programming that we want to offer our viewers and that Valley Hispanics have been waiting for since the team's first season."
KPHE-TV Channel 44 is a Phoenix-based television station affiliated with Mexico-based Multimedios Television and is owned and operated by Lotus Communications Corporations, a privately held company based in Los Angeles. The station airs family-oriented programming dedicated to Arizona's mostly Mexican-based Hispanic population.
In addition to the 50 Spanish-language game telecasts this season, the D-backs will also incorporate bilingual directional signage onto the concourses at Chase Field and have a weekly team section in some Spanish-language publications as well as offer ticket promotions, a post-game concert and launch community-based programs dedicated to Hispanic fans. The Diamondbacks also contribute more than $2 million annually back into the community and more than $10 million since 1998.
With more than 1.1 million Spanish-speaking people in the Valley, Phoenix is the eighth-largest Hispanic market in the country and ranks first with a 33.5 percent population growth in the last five years. Hispanic households control nearly $15 billion in spending in the Valley and 68 percent showed an affinity for attending a Diamondbacks game when going to a sporting event.
All 162 D-backs games this season will once again be offered in Spanish on the Diamondbacks' Spanish Radio Network, which will be anchored again by Radio Fiesta 1400 AM KSUN.
D-backs announce landmark Spanish TV broadcast schedule; Team to offer most games on TV in Spanish among MLB clubs
KPHE-TV 44 to televise 50 home games in 2007
PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks announced today that 50 of the team's home games in 2007 will be televised locally on KPHE-TV Channel 44 as part of a three-year contract with the Spanish-language television station, according to D-backs President Derrick Hall. The team's Spanish telecast schedule represents the most games produced solely for a Hispanic audience among all Major League Baseball teams.
"As Phoenix's Hispanic population grows at a rapid rate, it better serves our fan base to telecast D-backs games in Spanish," Hall said. "We have always offered our Spanish radio broadcasts on SAP during all Diamondbacks telecasts, but our new deal with KPHE-TV 44 goes a step further and offers a dedicated over-the-air telecast to the many bilingual and Spanish-speaking Diamondbacks fans in the Phoenix area."
Oscar Soria, who is one of the most respected baseball commentators in the Hispanic community after serving as a Diamondbacks broadcaster for the past six seasons and for the Hermosillo Naranjeros of the Mexican Winter League for the past 16 seasons, will handle the play-by-play on all of the D-backs Spanish telecasts. Miguel Quintana will call the game on Radio Fiesta 1400 AM KSUN. Soria and Quintana will team together on radio when there are no Spanish telecasts.
The D-backs first Spanish telecast will air on April 15 when the Colorado Rockies visit for a 1:40 p.m. game at Chase Field. Other telecasts include games against the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, among others.
"KPHE-TV 44 is excited to be carrying 50 of the Diamondbacks games this season," said Ken Kwilosz, Jr., Vice President and General Manager of KPHE-TV 44. "The Diamondbacks games will help us provide the local professional sports programming that we want to offer our viewers and that Valley Hispanics have been waiting for since the team's first season."
KPHE-TV Channel 44 is a Phoenix-based television station affiliated with Mexico-based Multimedios Television and is owned and operated by Lotus Communications Corporations, a privately held company based in Los Angeles. The station airs family-oriented programming dedicated to Arizona's mostly Mexican-based Hispanic population.
In addition to the 50 Spanish-language game telecasts this season, the D-backs will also incorporate bilingual directional signage onto the concourses at Chase Field and have a weekly team section in some Spanish-language publications as well as offer ticket promotions, a post-game concert and launch community-based programs dedicated to Hispanic fans. The Diamondbacks also contribute more than $2 million annually back into the community and more than $10 million since 1998.
With more than 1.1 million Spanish-speaking people in the Valley, Phoenix is the eighth-largest Hispanic market in the country and ranks first with a 33.5 percent population growth in the last five years. Hispanic households control nearly $15 billion in spending in the Valley and 68 percent showed an affinity for attending a Diamondbacks game when going to a sporting event.
All 162 D-backs games this season will once again be offered in Spanish on the Diamondbacks' Spanish Radio Network, which will be anchored again by Radio Fiesta 1400 AM KSUN.
