OU, Tyler Media hope Spanish broadcasts will continue

By Zach West

Published: November 23, 2007

Two numbers helped Tyler Media general manager Skip Stow decide to pursue an OU football broadcast in Spanish. First, his radio station KTUZ-FM 106.7, "La Zeta,” ranks second in Oklahoma City among 18 to 34-year-olds. Second, 36,499 students in Oklahoma City Public Schools are now Hispanic — a staggering 38 percent of the total enrollment — meaning the 18-34 year-old Hispanic audience is only going to get bigger in coming years.

"These kids have grown up in the Oklahoma City school system, they're bilingual, and when they're hanging out with their friends, they're probably talking about OU football,” Stow said. "That was really the deciding factor for Sammy Soto (program director for Tyler Media) and I when we sat down and looked at all this. It was to a point where we needed to give that a shot.”

After responses to the station's first broadcast — OU's win over Miami on Sept. 8 — were overwhelmingly positive, Stow decided on the Nov. 24 Bedlam game as the obvious choice for a second broadcast.

"(Bedlam) has the highest following throughout the state,” Stow said. "Spanish-speaking fans of both schools will have an opportunity they've never had before.”

Not only that, but it will be an opportunity few in the Big 12 Conference have had. To OU associate athletic director Kenny Mossman's knowledge, Texas is the only other school in the Big 12 with a Spanish broadcast. For OU, which first initiated talks with Tyler Media about a Spanish broadcast, the appeal is simple.

If support remains strong, both OU and Tyler Media have hopes that the Spanish broadcasts will continue into future seasons, and possibly spread to men's and women's basketball.

Lifelong OU fan Vincent Sigala, 23, said the Spanish broadcasts will help many Hispanic fans understand the game of football better.

"It's a great advantage. To hear the rules and how the game is played in their own language, that will help them understand penalties, rules, strategies and everything better,” Sigala said.

The game will be broadcast at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on KTUZ-FM 106.7. Rene Nava, James Kopleman and Gabriel Ocegueda will announce the game for "La Zeta.”

OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said the athletics department had been trying for several years to communicate more effectively with the Spanish-speaking community in Oklahoma.

"We know there are many Sooner fans who would like to follow their team on a Spanish-speaking radio station but until now, haven't been able to do so,” he said. "We are grateful that KTUZ has embraced this opportunity. ... We hope to expand the schedule even further in years to come.”

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