Texas Rangers and Deportes Media extend agreement for Spanish radio play-by-play rights
Rangers games to air in Spanish on ESPN Deportes 1540 AM for fifth straight year
Arlington, Texas - The Texas Rangers and Deportes Media today announced a multi-year extension for the team's Spanish radio play-by-play rights that returns the broadcasts to ESPN Deportes 1540 AM for the fifth consecutive year in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.
The agreement includes coverage of most regular and post-season games as well as select spring training games. The station will also complement its play-by-play coverage with Rangers-themed programming featuring interviews with players, coaches and front office personnel.
Eleno Ornelas will return for his 16th season on the Rangers Spanish radio broadcasts, his 13th as the lead play-by-play announcer. Ornelas, the recipient of the 2014 Golden Microphone Award from the National Association of Mexico Broadcasters, will also have a significant role in other Rangers programming on ESPN Deportes 1540 AM.
"We are very pleased to extend our partnership with Deportes Media and ESPN Deportes 1540 AM," commented Rangers Executive Vice President for Communications John Blake. "It is very important for the team to have a strong presence in the local Hispanic community, and the outstanding coverage we receive from ESPN Deportes 1540 AM is a big part of this. We are looking forward to a very productive partnership in the future."
"We anticipate a great continuation of a great partnership with the Texas Rangers," said Deportes Media Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Frank Carter. " Our new agreement includes adding the weekly feature "Doble Play" on Saturday mornings at 11:00 a.m., thus extending Eleno Ornelas' presence on 1540 AM as we look ahead to Spring Training. Spanish speaking Rangers fans will have all-year access to the Rangers."
In addition, the Rangers Spanish Radio Network will provide Rangers baseball coverage to a number of stations throughout Texas and Arkansas. The Rangers will continue to oversee all radio production and network elements of the broadcasts.
Deportes Media, LLC, a leading Spanish language sports broadcasting group, currently operates ESPN Deportes affiliated radio stations in four of the seven largest Hispanic markets in the United States. Collectively, the Company's stations in Miami, Houston, Dallas and San Francisco cover more than nine million Hispanic people, or approximately 18% of the total Hispanic population of the United States. The ESPN Deportes 1540 AM studios are located in Las Colinas.
The Company's stations broadcast a mix of interactive national and local talk-based, personality-driven programming focused on a wide range of sports, including soccer, football, baseball, basketball and boxing that serves the full spectrum of listeners, from the casual fan to the sports fanatic. In conjunction with its radio broadcasting operations, each of the Deportes Media stations operates a significant digital media effort that includes station websites, an active social media agenda and streaming applications. Lastly, the Company also conducts "Copa ESPN" youth soccer tournaments in each of its radio markets.