- Written by AnaMaria Bech
- Published in Out & About
The New Orleans Pelicans "en español"
Click here para español >>Los Pelicans de N ueva Orleans en español
The love for basketball has always been present in the Latino community. With the great season the New Orleans Pelicans are having, there are more reasons and more ways to follow the Pelicans closely and not miss a single play.
Those behind the team attend in-person games, watch on television, and follow pre and post-games. But now, Latino fans who don’t want to miss a beat can get behind the Pelicans by listening to the local game broadcasts entirely in Spanish on Radio Tropical 105.7 FM New Orleans and 94.7 FM Baton Rouge, and the Pelicans App.
This season the New Orleans Pelicans and Crocodile Broadcasting Corporation closed an agreement to broadcast the local games with play-by-play analysis and color commentary to the Latino audience. This outreach effort brings the Pelicans’ basketball experience to the Spanish-speaking community of Southeast Louisiana. The live broadcast announcers are Juan Carlos Ramos, Victor Quiñones, and Mario Jeréz, a team of sports connoisseurs with experience behind the microphones who bring a lively and very Latino touch to Pelicans games broadcast in the city. According to Mario Jeréz, “Diversity is part of what makes New Orleans great, and with these broadcasts, the team is showing us that they agree and want to help highlight that diversity.” Jeréz is confident that “the Spanish Broadcasts will help to establish pride in the Pelicans’ colors and reach a new, passionate group of Pelicans’ fans.”
Although it is not so common to have Latino or Spanish-speaking players in the NBA, for several seasons, the New Orleans Pelicans already count on the presence of the New Yorker José Alvarado, who’s of Puerto Rican and Mexican parents and Willy Hernangómez, a Madrid native. Alvarado made his NBA debut in November 2020 with the Pelicans, and earlier this year, he was named the Most Valuable Player in the NBA All-Star Rising Stars Game. Alvarado has had some exciting plays this season, despite suffering an injury that left him on the bench for a few weeks. Latino fans root for Alvarado, as they feel represented due to his Puerto Rican and Mexican descent and the fact he has represented the Puerto Rican team internationally.
The New Orleans Pelicans speak Spanish, thanks to Guillermo Gustavo “Willy” Hernangómez, a champion from the Spain Basketball League. He was drafted into the NBA in 2016 and signed by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020. He comes from a family of champions, with his mother, Margarita Geuer, a gold medal European champion, and his brother, Juancho, also plays in the NBA.
Visiting the Pelicans’ nest at the Smoothie King Center is an excellent experience for children and adults who want to see some basketball action with fun activities for the whole family. An NBA game is a unique spectacle. Beyond the awe of seeing professional players in person, there is no time to be bored. Instead, the audience can enjoy the halftime show and games on the court during the breaks and participate in the on-screen contests. Often, spectators will walk away with Pelicans’ gifts, like the jerseys that get catapulted all over the stands.
Now that you are a Pelicans fan, there is no excuse to miss any move from your New Orleans NBA team, even “en español.” Remember to listen to the Spanish broadcasts on Radio Tropical 105.7 FM in New Orleans and 94.7 FM in Baton Rouge. Click here for more ways to catch the New Orleans Pelicans games.
Go Pelicans!