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FSN Houston Teams with Astros to Produce Spanish-Language Telecasts

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“Appealing to the growing and established Hispanic markets in Houston and South Texas, the Houston Astros and partner FSN Houston today announced that they have joined forces to produce and televise 15 Astros games in Spanish in 2008.

The broadcasts will be original productions separate from FSN Houston’s telecasts and will be carried on secondary FSN Plus channels on cable systems in Houston and South Texas markets. They also will be made available to and Dish Network. Veteran announcer Rene Cardenas, who pioneered Astros broadcasts when the team debuted in 1962 and is considered the dean of Major League Spanish announcers, will team with Raul Saenz to call the games. Spanish graphics will supplement the broadcasts.

The first Astros telecasts are scheduled for May 7 and May 8 against the Washington Nationals. Astros games will be shown throughout the season with six in May, four in June, two in July, two in August and one in September.

In Houston, the games will be carried on Comcast Cable channel 76, which is available to digital cable customers (see schedule below for other markets).

The Houston Astros are thrilled at the opportunity to provide broadcasts to markets all across Texas, said Houston Astros Senior Vice President Communications Jay Lucas. We will provide an excellent product to our Spanish-speaking fans by combining an outstanding broadcast team in Rene Cardenas and Raul Saenz with FSN Houston’s high-caliber production quality. We’re happy to be able to offer this product to fans that have been among the most passionate and devoted to our team throughout the history of our franchise.

The Houston Astros are one of the most aggressive teams in Major League to reach out and market to their Spanish-speaking fans and were excited to help them target their fan base, said FSN Houston Senior Vice President/General Manager Steve Tello. The Astros recognize the importance of the Hispanic community and have developed a plan that appeals to their growing Spanish audience.

According to the most current U.S. Census figures, Houston is the fourth largest Hispanic market in the country with a of 730,865. Hispanics make up 37.4 percent of the Houston market, while 1.1 million Hispanics live in surrounding Harris County. In the Astros extended fan base outside of Houston, Hispanics are the majority of the in six markets, led by Laredo (94.1%), (91.3%), McAllen (80.3%), El Paso (76.6%) San Antonio (58.7%) and Corpus Christi (54.3%). With a Hispanic of 671,394, San Antonio ranks as the nations fifth largest Hispanic market.

Fans in those markets will be treated to one of the most prolific Spanish announcers in as Cardenas returns to the Houston broadcast booth. The native of began his Major League career in 1958 when the Los Angeles Dodgers named him their first Spanish- announcer after the team moved from to Los Angeles. Recognizing the success Cardenas achieved connecting with Spanish-speaking fans in Los Angeles, the Astros hired him in 1962 to direct their Spanish broadcasts when Houston was awarded a major league franchise. He spent 15 years with the Astros and eventually moved to Arlington in 1981 to become the Texas Rangers first Spanish broadcaster before returning to Los Angeles in 1982 to call Dodgers game in Spanish until 1998. In 2000 Cardenas was inducted into the Nicaraguan Hall of Fame. He currently writes a popular sports column for La Prensa and the Astros website and Astros magazine.

Cardenas will work with Saenz, a well-known Texas broadcaster who also serves as analyst on Spanish- broadcasts and the Dallas Mavericks Spanish network. Since 2004 hes anchored sportscasts for Dallas- affiliate KUVN where he won a Lone Star Emmy award for Best Sports Story in 2005. Saenz started the first Spanish play-by-play broadcasts for the San Antonio Missions Double A minor league team in 2002, and has been sports director at affiliates in Houston and San Antonio.

2008 FSN Houston Astros Spanish Language Schedule

(All times listed are Central)

Day

Date

Opponent

Time

Wed. May 7 Washington Nationals 7:00 p.m.
Thu. May 8 Washington Nationals 7:00 p.m.
Tue. May 20 Chicago Cubs 7:00 p.m.
Wed. May 21 Chicago Cubs 7:00 p.m.
Thu. May 22 Philadelphia Phillies 7:00 p.m.
Fri. May 23 Philadelphia Phillies 7:00 p.m.
Fri. June 13 New York Yankees 7:00 p.m.
Sat. June 14 New York Yankees 6:00 p.m.
Fri. June 27 Boston Red Sox 7:00 p.m.
Sat. June 28 Boston Red Sox 6:00 p.m.
Fri. July 18 Chicago Cubs 7:00 p.m.
Sat. July 19 Chicago Cubs 6:00 p.m.
Fri. Aug. 1 New York Mets 7:00 p.m.
Sat. Aug. 2 New York Mets 6:00 p.m.
Fri. Sept. 12 Chicago Cubs 7:00 p.m.

FSN Plus Astros Spanish Language TV Affiliates:

Market

Cable System

Channel

Aransas Pass Cable One 20
Austin Time Warner 77
Beaumont-Port Arthur Time Warner 15
Time Warner 78
Bryan-College Station Suddenlink 22
Columbus Time Warner 79
Corpus Christi Grande Communications 38
Corpus Christi Time Warner 6
El Paso Time Warner 24
Georgetown Suddenlink 95
Gonzales Time Warner 75
Harlingen Time Warner 78
Houston Comcast Cable 76 (digital basic)
Hilltop Lakes DMS Cable 39
Kerrville Time Warner 63
Lampassas Suddenlink 2
Laredo Time Warner 16
Lufkin Suddenlink 15
McAllen Time Warner 78
Nacogdoches Suddenlink 14
Port Lavaca Cable One 20
San Antonio Time Warner 50
San Marcos Grande Communications 80

“*

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