The Green Bay Packers, Packers Television Network and Telemundo Wisconsin are partnering to offer the Packers Television Network preseason games in Spanish on Telemundo channels across the state of Wisconsin.
This is the first year that Packers preseason games will have a Spanish-language offering. The broadcasts will use the Packers Television Network production and feature Telemundo Wisconsin’s Andy Olivares (play-by-play) and Kevin Holden (analyst) calling the game in Spanish. The duo also broadcasts Milwaukee Brewers games in Spanish.
Games slated for Spanish broadcast include tonight’s contest against Cleveland, as well as the Aug. 23 game at Cincinnati and Aug. 30 preseason finale against Kansas City.
“Our Hispanic fan base is growing in the state of Wisconsin and this is great way to offer a more enjoyable Packers experience to our Spanish-speaking fans,” said Tim Connolly, Packers vice president of sales and marketing. “We’re excited to team with the Packers Television Network and Telemundo Wisconsin on this new broadcast element.”
Spanish broadcasting will be offered over the air and on cable in Milwaukee on Telemundo Wisconsin (WYTU-TV, Channel 17) and in Green Bay on MyNew32 (WACY-TV, Channel 32). Elsewhere throughout the state it also will be offered through Time Warner Cable in Green Bay and Southeast Wisconsin on Channels 27 and 805, through AT&T in Southeast Wisconsin on Channels 27 and 3007, through Dish Network statewide on Channel 17 and through Charter Communications statewide on Channels 17 and 206. Viewers should check local listings.
“We are excited to partner with the Packers and Telemundo on this new project.” said Steve Wexler, executive vice president of the Journal Broadcast Group, the producer of the Packers Television Network. “For us, the opportunity to expand Packers programming to local audiences is a top priority and we can't wait to share our first-rate football production with the Hispanic community.”
The NFL’s Hispanic audience has seen strong growth in recent years and now makes up an estimated 7.7 percent of the league’s overall fan base.
“We are very thankful to the NFL, Journal Broadcast Group, and especially the Green Bay Packers, for helping us create a Spanish-language broadcast of preseason Packers football on WYTU/Telemundo Wisconsin,” said Jim Hall, general manager of WYTU/Telemundo Wisconsin. “Now more fans than ever can enjoy the games and we are very proud to be a part of making these historic broadcasts possible.”
In addition to the Spanish-language enhancement to the Packers Television Network, the affiliate lineup this preseason features an expanded footprint that includes new stations in Upper Michigan (WLUC/NBC, Escanaba/Marquette, Mich.), the Quad Cities (KLJB-TV/FOX and KGCW/CW, Davenport) and Des Moines (KCWI-TV/CW, Des Moines) in Iowa, Omaha, Neb. (KMTV-TV/CBS), and Hawaii (KFVE-TV, Honolulu).
The other Packers Television Network stations include flagship station WTMJ-TV/NBC, Milwaukee, and partner station WGBA-TV/NBC, Green Bay, as well as affiliates WKOW/ABC, Madison, Wis.; WAOW/ABC, Wausau/Rhinelander, Wis.; WXOW/ABC, La Crosse, Wis.; WQOW/ABC, Eau Claire, Wis.; and KQDS-TV/FOX, Duluth/Superior, Minn.
