May 31, 2006

ASU athletics to be broadcast in Spanish in 2006-07

Former Sun Devil All-American Juan Roque will provide expert analysis

LASA Sports Media Group, in conjunction with ASU and CBS Collegiate Sports Properties (formerly Viacom Sports), have agreed to terms with The Sun Devil Sports Network to broadcast the 2006 football season, 18 selected games for men's basketball and 15 baseball games for the upcoming season 2006-07 on Spanish Radio KIDR, 740 AM.

"We are very pleased and excited to introduce ASU Athletics to the Hispanic Communities over the airwaves," LASA Sports Media Group General Manager Miguel Sallard said. "There is no doubt that the Hispanic fans are the best for local team support."

ASU Vice President for Athletics Lisa Love echoed Sallard's comments. "This is something we have wanted to accomplish at ASU and now we can offer this service to the Spanish-speaking community," says Love. "We are excited to have partnered with LASA Sports Media Group and we are delighted to be able to bring back a great Sun Devil like Juan Roque to be an integral part of the broadcast team."

The broadcast crew for football will consist of veteran broadcaster Ivan Lara, who will provide play-by-play and former Sun Devil All-American Juan Roque, who will serve as analyst. Lara is currently in his ninth season with the Anaheim Angels as the play-by-play announcer for their Spanish radio broadcast. Prior to joining the Angels' broadcasting team, Lara served with Cactus Broadcasting (KXEW and KOHT Radio) as the play-by-play voice of the University of Arizona football and basketball teams from 1994 until his current appointment. He also hosted the sports program "Panorama Deportivo" and backed up for the Spanish broadcasting core of the NBA Phoenix Suns.

Roque, who lives in the Valley and works at a Chandler mortgage company, was a member of ASU's Pacific-10 Conference Champion football team in 1996 that played Ohio State University in the 1997 Rose Bowl. Roque was drafted in the second round of the National Football league draft by the Detroit Lions as the 35th selection overall. Roque is one of seven Sun Devil football players who have been selected as consensus All-Americans in school history. He was a two-time, first-team All-Pac-10 Conference choice in 1995 and 1996.

"I have a hard time expressing the great feeling I have to be back in the Valley of The Sun and to be a part of ASU football again," says Roque, who worked as a color analyst on Spanish radio for a Super Bowl. "This is a wonderful opportunity to stay connected with the University and the football program that I love so much. Sun Devil football is a very special part of my life and to be able to share it with the Spanish Speaking market is a tremendous honor."