Estefans Will Help Dolphins Reach Out To Hispanic Community
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Emilio (l) And Gloria Estefan Part Of Dolphins'
Effort To Reach Out To Hispanic Community |
The Dolphins Thursday introduced entertainers Gloria and Emilio Estefan as minority owners and the team's "unofficial ambassadors to the Hispanic community," according to Chang & Beasley of the MIAMI HERALD. Thursday's ceremony at Land Shark Stadium "might strike some as a calculated move for celebrity appeal," but Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross said that the team's recent associations are "all about drawing fans to a team faced with a 9[%] decline in attendance last year." Ross: "You're seeing the convergence of sports and entertainment because sports is entertainment." Ross "emphasized that the Dolphins' priority remains winning games, but he said the team is serious about reaching out to Hispanics, even in a community, Miami-Dade County, where more than half the population identifies as Hispanic." While "most marketing efforts in South Florida will naturally reach Hispanics," Hispanic USA Principal Jose Cancela said that the Dolphins "will benefit by personalizing the pitch with recognizable faces and in Spanish." Cancela said of marketing efforts targeting Hispanics, "You want to do it in language, in culture. If you go in language and nuanced correctly, you'll reach them even deeper and create a deeper bond." Ross said that "all team press releases will now be issued in Spanish and English." Also, a Spanish-language Web site for the team "will launch Aug. 15." Dolphins Senior Dir of Marketing & Communications George Torres said that home-game attendance is "about 37[%] Hispanic." But Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said that is "not good enough." Dee: "We're not where we want to be. We want to be the best in the NFL." Chang & Beasley note the Estefans "still need league approval before the deal is official." NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy said that as of Thursday, a vote "had not been scheduled" (MIAMI HERALD, 6/26).
EMBRACING DIVERSITY: In West Palm Beach, Brian Biggane noted a "prominent theme of the press conference, which lasted about 40 minutes, was the value of embracing the diversity of South Florida and the Hispanic culture that is such a big part of it." Ross noted 73% of U.S. residents are football fans, and Hispanics have "clearly embraced the sport as much as any other culture." Ross: "No community in America has the diversity of South Florida. We want the people of the community to be a part of the team, and nobody reflects the Latin community like Gloria and Emilio." The Estefans "expressed confidence that their musical talents will be incorporated into the Dolphin experience." Ross "declined to offer details on the financial terms of the deal, but it has been reported that he was offering" 2% of the team for $25M (PALMBEACHPOST.com, 6/25).
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