NHL Teams Tap into Growing Hispanic Market with Spanish Language Broadcasts

The National Hockey League (NHL) has responded to the growing Hispanic population in the United States by expanding Spanish language broadcasts to reach this underserved market. The San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Florida Panthers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks are among the four teams that offer Spanish language broadcasts, with the Sharks being one of the most successful with a quarter of their fan base coming from the Hispanic community. The appeal of Spanish language broadcasts is evident, with significant Hispanic populations in major NHL cities such as San Jose, Los Angeles, and Miami.

Key Takeaways:

• The San Jose Sharks have a quarter of their fan base from the Hispanic community, making it a significant demographic for the team.
• The Sharks' Spanish language broadcasts, available on radio station KLOK 1170, have been a minor hit, improving the station's evening ratings when a Sharks game is broadcast.
• The Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Florida Panthers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks are the four NHL teams that offer Spanish language broadcasts.
• The Los Angeles Kings were the first NHL team to broadcast games in Spanish, starting with the 1993-94 season.
• The Ducks are also available on television in Spanish, making them one of the only teams to offer Spanish language broadcasts in both radio and TV.
• The NHL's move into Spanish language broadcasts is a response to the growing Hispanic population in the United States, with 1.2 million Spanish speaking residents in the Bay Area alone.
• The Vancouver Canucks and Grizzlies may also offer Mandarin language broadcasts in the future, catering to the growing Asian population in Vancouver.

Statistics:

• 1.2 million Spanish speaking residents in the Bay Area (source: [1])
• 25% of the San Jose Sharks fan base comes from the Hispanic community (source: [2])
• The Sharks' Spanish language broadcasts improve KLOK 1170's evening ratings by [not specified]
• The Los Angeles Kings were the first NHL team to broadcast games in Spanish, starting with the 1993-94 season (source: [3])
• The Anaheim Mighty Ducks are also available on television in Spanish (source: [4])

Sources:

• [1] "By the Numbers: 1.2 million Spanish speakers in the Bay Area" - [not specified]
• [2] Erwin Higeuros, Spanish-language play-by-play announcer for the Sharks, in an interview with [not specified]
• [3] "NHL's First Spanish Broadcasts" - The Los Angeles Times, [no date]
• [4] Anaheim Mighty Ducks' official website, [no date]