D- Backs Announce Partnership with Univision Deportes Radio

PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks today announced a comprehensive three-year partnership with Univision Deportes Radio to become the new Spanish-language radio home in 2017. All 162 regular season games, 2 spring training games and any postseason games will be heard on KHOV 105.1 FM which will relaunch this year with all new sports programming.

“This is an extremely exciting time for the D-backs and Univision as we join forces in the marketplace to further reach our Spanish-speaking audience,” said D-backs President & CEO Derrick Hall. “The launch of the new Univision Deportes Radio station in this market comes at the perfect time, as the appetite for great content continues to grow. We are looking forward to working closely with their dedicated staff to bring together these two great brands in our market.”

The partnership comes on the heels of Univision’s recent announcement that it would expand its Univision Deportes Radio brand into 10 markets across the United States, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, McAllen and Las Vegas.

The D-backs’ Spanish-language broadcast team includes longtime play-by-play announcer Oscar Soria, analyst and former big league pitcher Rodrigo Lopez and Richard Saenz, an original D-backs employee. The D-backs have brought games into the homes of Spanish-speaking D-backs fans since the club’s inception and are one of just 4 teams to travel its Spanish-language broadcast team on the road.

Soria has become a household name throughout the marketplace and in Mexico, where he has served as the lead broadcaster for the Hermosillo Naranjeros during the Mexican Pacific League for nearly three decades. The Tijuana, Mexico native joined the D-backs’ broadcast team in 1999.

Lopez enters his fourth season as the analyst on the team’s Spanish-language broadcasts following an 11-year big league career that included one season with the D-backs (2010) in which he led the team in starts and innings pitched. The Tlalnepantla, Mexico native won 81 games for 7 teams and was voted runner-up for the AL Rookie of the Year in 2002.

Saenz enters his 14^th season in the radio booth and has been involved in the team’s efforts in the Hispanic community since 1996.