MIAMI – The Miami HEAT announced today that it has reached a multi-year agreement with top-rated Miami-based Univisión Radio station WAQI Radio Mambí 710 AM to broadcast all regular season HEAT games in Spanish. Additionally, Univisión Radio’s WRTO MIX 98.3 FM will exclusively air all HEAT playoff games. The radio agreement also includes a marketing agreement between the HEAT and the Univisión Radio family in Miami, including Amor 107.5 FM and WQBA 1140AM.
The deal extends the relationship between the HEAT and Univisión as the team’s Spanish language radio broadcasts have aired on WQBA 1140 AM, also a Univisión station, for the past eight seasons. HEAT games return to the station which first carried the team to its Spanish language audience during the initial two seasons of the franchise. Games also aired on Radio Mambí during the team's playoff run in 2006, which led to the HEAT's first NBA Championship.
As part of its agreement, Radio Mambí will host a pre-game and post-game show providing the most in-depth coverage of HEAT basketball in Spanish. Additionally, a half-hour weekly talk show will air during the regular season, along with other HEAT programming and promotional elements on Radio Mambí and the Univisión Radio family.
“La Voz” José Pañeda, the Spanish voice of the HEAT, enters his 25th year with the team and his 24th season handling the play-by-play duties, while Joe Pujala enters his 14th year serving as analyst and host of the pre-game, halftime and post-game shows.
“We’ve worked with Univisión Radio for years and are excited to continue to provide the excitement of Miami HEAT basketball to our Spanish speaking fans,” said HEAT President of Business Operations Eric Woolworth. “We have enjoyed a very successful relationship for many years including both championships and numerous community endeavors, and we look forward to the same in the future.”
“We are very happy to welcome the Miami HEAT to Radio Mambí and MIX 98.3,” said Claudia Puig, Senior Vice President and Southeastern General Manager for Univisión Radio. “The HEAT is a first-class organization on and off the court. Like Univisión Radio Miami, the Miami HEAT is committed to our community. The HEAT broadcasts are a perfect complement to our quality lineup of local and national sports programming.”
Radio Mambí will carry three of the team's eight preseason games live from the AmericanAirlines Arena (October 18, 20 and 26) and will kick off its regular season coverage when the HEAT opens its 25th anniversary season on October 30th at home vs. the Boston Celtics.