NHL to start Spanish language coverage of league starting in October

[LadyStanley]

NHL launching Spanish coverage of hockey throughout league

VGK's radio Spanish play-by-play broadcaster will be providing (some) website input.


I know that the Sharks have Spanish radio coverage. Not sure about other teams around the league.

But nice to see the league reaching out to new demographic fans.

Click to read more...

 

[tarheelhockey]

Makes sense. They launched a French version back in 2011. The three major North American languages now covered.

 

[kaiser matias]

Makes sense. They launched a French version back in 2011. The three major North American languages now covered.

They also had/have(?) a bunch of European language versions as well (Russian, Swedish, Finnish, German, Czech). Don't know if they are still active, haven't visited nhl.com since their latest site update.

 

[S E P H]

Awesome stuff, I have no idea why they were so late in targetting the Latino community, especially considering how good some of the teams have been in California which have a huge Spanish population.

 

[tony d]

Good news, good to appeal to different demos.

 

[joelef]

Awesome stuff, I have no idea why they were so late in targetting the Latino community, especially considering how good some of the teams have been in California which have a huge Spanish population.

if you actually followed the nhl and look up its history you'll understand how incompetent they are.

 

[Jozay]

About time.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

I think its a waste. The type of Latinos whod get into hockey can speak English. Your recently arrived semi literate farm hand or warehouse worker from Guatemala or Honduras doesn’t care about hockey and wont care just because its available in Spanish.

 

[LadyStanley]

ESL. Many folks might speak/understand (some) English, but their primary/initial language may be other than English.

English is not an easy language to master with all the idiosyncrasies and colloquialisms. From interview with VGK radio guy, he's had to make up phrases (wrapped up like a burrito) to refer to board battles and other uniquely ice hockey game moments.

What equivalent would you describe the following:

"Top shelf (where momma hides the cookies)"
"Five hole"
"Standing on his head"
"Head man pass"
"Offside"
"Icing"
"No look pass"
"Tape to tape pass"

And many more

 

[Lions67]

Hockey Night in Punjabi has been a thing for a few years now in Canada. Mostly in B.C. though
Expect Mandarin to come along sometime as well.

 

[jonathan613]

Would there be any violation of their NHL tv contract with NBC if they were to try to negotiate an agreement with a national spanish network such as univision or telemundo to attempt to televise games? Another possibility is for english channels to put spanish translations on the screen. I am excited to see what meruelo has planned in arizona. Lastly, the real focus needs to be made by the florida panthers. They need an arena in driving distance of miami. You can not get there in less than an hour and a half from dade.

 

[snipes]

Hockey Night in Canada in Punjabi has been a big hit in the Indo-Canadian community.

 

[LadyStanley]

I believe Sharks and Golden Knights have the Spanish radio feed available on local broadcasts as SAP (secondary audio program).

 

[ijuka]

I think its a waste. The type of Latinos whod get into hockey can speak English. Your recently arrived semi literate farm hand or warehouse worker from Guatemala or Honduras doesn’t care about hockey and wont care just because its available in Spanish.

It still might be nicer to watch in Spanish even if the person can speak English somewhat. And heck, isn't this a chicken-or-egg type of an argument? Maybe with NHL coverage in spanish, the people who can only speak Spanish will start caring about hockey, especially if their city's team's successful.

 

[oknazevad]

Would there be any violation of their NHL tv contract with NBC if they were to try to negotiate an agreement with a national spanish network such as univision or telemundo to attempt to televise games? Another possibility is for english channels to put spanish translations on the screen. I am excited to see what meruelo has planned in arizona. Lastly, the real focus needs to be made by the florida panthers. They need an arena in driving distance of miami. You can not get there in less than an hour and a half from dade.

Funnily enough, Telemundo is owned by NBCUniversal. Could I see them trying a simulcast of an NBC game with Spanish commentary? Maybe.

 

[member 157595]

Would there be any violation of their NHL tv contract with NBC if they were to try to negotiate an agreement with a national spanish network such as univision or telemundo to attempt to televise games? Another possibility is for english channels to put spanish translations on the screen. I am excited to see what meruelo has planned in arizona. Lastly, the real focus needs to be made by the florida panthers. They need an arena in driving distance of miami. You can not get there in less than an hour and a half from dade.

Amen. Try getting from South Miami to a Panthers game on a weeknight...I dare you.

 

[yukoner88]

I hope they are given an announce table that is sturdy n strong

 

[Rebels57]

Took them long enough. I look forward to hearing some of the Spanish calls on great goals. The Spanish call of Bryce Harpers walk-off grandslam last week was thoroughly enjoyable.

 

[Zenos]

Hockey Night in Punjabi has been a thing for a few years now in Canada. Mostly in B.C. though
Expect Mandarin to come along sometime as well.

HNIC has already been broadcast in Italian, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Punjabi BTW.

 

[SladeWilson23]

Muy bien!

 

[TheLegend]

I think its a waste. The type of Latinos whod get into hockey can speak English. Your recently arrived semi literate farm hand or warehouse worker from Guatemala or Honduras doesn’t care about hockey and wont care just because its available in Spanish.

I live in a region of the country where you have the Spanish language on everything from freeway billboards to packaged goods.

Half the radio stations on the dial are Hispanic. Along side the dozen or so television channels on my basic cable package.

It’s a big deal.

 

[Chaels Arms]

I think its a waste. The type of Latinos whod get into hockey can speak English. Your recently arrived semi literate farm hand or warehouse worker from Guatemala or Honduras doesn’t care about hockey and wont care just because its available in Spanish.

I have no idea where you're from or how many actual real-life Hispanic people you've ever interacted with (not many, guessing from your post) but here in NYC there are a lot of fully literate Hispanic people with middle class jobs who speak English perfectly fine in their working lives but still prefer using their native language at home. French-Canadians don't have a monopoly on this phenomenon, it's kind of what happens to every single person who either grew up knowing more than one language or who acquired another language later in life.

The fact the NHL didn't do this sooner is actually pretty ridiculous.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

I have no idea where you're from or how many actual real-life Hispanic people you've ever interacted with (not many, guessing from your post) but here in NYC there are a lot of fully literate Hispanic people with middle class jobs who speak English perfectly fine in their working lives but still prefer using their native language at home. French-Canadians don't have a monopoly on this phenomenon, it's kind of what happens to every single person who either grew up knowing more than one language or who acquired another language later in life.

The fact the NHL didn't do this sooner is actually pretty ridiculous.

I have interacted with quite a few Hispanics. I also don't know any of them who actually give a crap about hockey. But English isn't my native language for what it's worth, and yet I feel no desire to watch crap in my native language because my English is good enough otherwise. Yes, Hispanics watch Spanish TV stations etc. because it's available and a shocking number of them speak poor to mediocre English even after having lived here for much longer than I have...but I will maintain that those folks don't give a damn about hockey. Hockey is not native to their culture, liking hockey means Americanizing and if you Americanize you'll watch a sport you like in English. It's just pandering, that's all. It is indeed quite surprising that the NHL took this long given other leagues have done this pandering for many years now. But I guess even the NHL suits kinda knew that those folks aren't their target audience.

 

[LadyStanley]

Vegas Golden Knights Announce New Additions To Broadcast Lineup

In reading through the announcement of new VGK rinkside reporter and studio talking heads, I noted that the Deportes Vegas (radio) not only has a play-by-play guy, but also an analyst. (I don't recall his name mentioned last season)

 

[Rigafan]

I have interacted with quite a few Hispanics. I also don't know any of them who actually give a crap about hockey. But English isn't my native language for what it's worth, and yet I feel no desire to watch crap in my native language because my English is good enough otherwise. Yes, Hispanics watch Spanish TV stations etc. because it's available and a shocking number of them speak poor to mediocre English even after having lived here for much longer than I have...but I will maintain that those folks don't give a damn about hockey. Hockey is not native to their culture, liking hockey means Americanizing and if you Americanize you'll watch a sport you like in English. It's just pandering, that's all. It is indeed quite surprising that the NHL took this long given other leagues have done this pandering for many years now. But I guess even the NHL suits kinda knew that those folks aren't their target audience.

Location is Eire - so Ireland (Republic) right? I mean you can't compare the situation for you to Hispanic speakers. With the most recent census saying that Eire has less than 100k daily speakers in a population of nearly 5m people. You use it to pass school then forget about it.

Spanish is one of the most used and spoken languages on earth, why wouldn't the NHL who has teams in heavily Hispanic area's want to try and pull in some extra supporters?

Hockey isn't native to Ireland or my country yet here we are!