Today, ESPN Deportes Radio arrives to New York, one of the most diverse, Hispanic markets in the U.S. Starting at 2 p.m. ET, the Spanish-speaking fans in the area can tune in to ESPN Deportes Radio Nueva York 1050 AM to get 24/7 sports news and live events with a focus on content that is relevant to the Hispanic New Yorker. To welcome the station, Mike Greenberg from ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning shows off his Spanish skills to officially pass the baton to the ESPN Deportes Radio team. Listen to Greeny toss to Jorge Ramos here. Be sure to listen to the theme music at the end.
Front Row also caught up with Ernesto Jerez, a veteran of ESPN and known as the signature voice of Spanish-language broadcasts of baseball, who spoke about his role with this new venture and what fans in the area can expect.
How do you feel about being part of the long-awaited launch of ESPN Deportes Radio New York?
In 1995 I was part of the launch of SportsCenter International. After being with ESPN for such a long time, to have this opportunity makes me very proud to be considered for a new challenge, not only in my career but also personally and for the company, because of what it means to try to penetrate a market like the one in New York, where Hispanics are a force and offer a great deal of diversity.
What will be your role at the station?
I am going to be the host of Firma ESPN, a program that will be on the air Monday through Friday (7-10 a.m.) and will have a focus on sports with everything having to do with New York. We want people to be informed and be able to form their own opinions about the different teams in the Big Apple with interviews, discussions and current topics.
What will the station offer that will be unique for New York’s Hispanic audience?
ESPNDeportes Radio Nueva York will be the starting point for ALL the Hispanics living in New York when they want to find out what is happening in the sports world. It is an option that had never existed before and it could not have been done any other way except with ESPN as the launch pad. This is something to highlight since we will be having opinion programs, but also all the sports information on SportsCenter and, of course, the top events on the schedule, with a team that will make this experience vibrant and evolving for listeners. No matter what the sport may be, we will be there to bring them the best of each day. It is more than a commitment; it is a way of life.
Tell us some things about sports fans in New York and how they can be a part of 1050 AM.
The New York sports fan is passionate about his sports and his teams. That is why they will have the opportunity to share with us, and give us their opinions, on the two programs we will be bringing them. Either on Firma ESPN, Monday through Friday (7-10 a.m.), or on Zona ESPN NY (2-4 p.m., weekdays). We are hoping to be the option that they had never had before, so that now, when we start discussing a subject, they will also make their own contribution. With this initiative, the Hispanic sports fan in New York will have a place on the radio in the “City that Never Sleeps.”
