Rafael Hernández Brito, Greivis Vásquez, and Carlos Morales Call the Action
Westwood One’s Audio to be Distributed by Univision
Broadcasts Presented by Werner Ladder
NEW YORK, March 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cumulus Media’s (NSDQ: CMLS) Westwood One will provide exclusive audio coverage of the NCAA Men’s Final Four and Championship Game in Spanish for the sixth consecutive tournament, presented by Werner Ladder, the official ladder of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. Westwood One’s Spanish-language broadcasts will kick off at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 1 with the 2023 Men’s Final Four live from NRG Stadium in Houston. Coverage will continue with the National Championship Game on Monday, April 3 at 9 p.m. ET. Rafael Hernández Brito will once again serve as the play-by-play announcer, his sixth with the network, while former All-American point guard Greivis Vásquez returns as analyst for the fifth time. Former Puerto Rican National Basketball Team coach Carlos Morales will host the broadcasts for the second straight season.
“Werner is excited to be back as the presenting sponsor of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Spanish for the sixth year,” said Stacy Gardella, head of global marketing technology & operations for Werner Co. “The Spanish language broadcast enables Werner to reach basketball fans and construction professionals alike while supporting Werner’s position as the official ladder of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships.”
About Westwood One’s Spanish Broadcast Crew
Rafael Hernández Brito, known as Rafa "El Alcalde", is a veteran broadcaster who has been the Spanish play-by-play voice for the Cleveland Cavaliers for the last eight seasons. Prior to joining the Cavs, he was the Spanish voice of the Brooklyn Nets for two seasons and called St. John’s University basketball. His national broadcast experience includes eight years as the voice of the NFL en Español for Univision, and he has called 11 Super Bowls. He has also done Spanish play-by-play for the Miami Dolphins as well as for Major League Baseball, boxing, and UFC. With the 2015 NBA Finals, he became the first broadcaster in the United States to call the Finals of all three major sports in Spanish. He has called the Final Four and Championship Game in Spanish for the network for the past five NCAA tournaments.
Greivis Vásquez is one of the most successful Hispanic basketball players ever to wear a uniform. Greivis, a native of Venezuela, was a former All-American point guard at University of Maryland, where he led the Terrapins to three NCAA Tournament appearances. As a senior, he was named ACC Player of the year, and the winner of the Bob Cousy award, given annually to the best collegiate point guard in the nation. He was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA Draft in 2010 and played for six teams in his seven years in the league. Greivis has also played for the Venezuelan National Team and led the squad to the 2014 FIBA South American Championship. In 2012, he was honored as a “Champion of Change” at the White House for his efforts as a sports diplomat in the United States and his native Venezuela. He has previously worked the Final Four and Championship Game in Spanish for the network from 2017-2019 and again in 2022.
Carlos Morales joins Westwood One for the third time on the Final Four broadcasts, but second as pregame and halftime host. Morales served as the game analyst in 2021. Morales was on the coaching staff of the Puerto Rican national basketball team for a decade, during which time they participated in two Olympic Games, three world championships, and three Goodwill Games. During his time there, the national team captured five gold medals and seven silver medals in international competitions. He also coached professional basketball in both Venezuela and the Dominican Republic before joining ESPN as a television analyst in 2000. He called the Final Four and Championship Game in Spanish for ESPN International from 2005-2018.
Where to Listen
Westwood One’s Final Four coverage can be heard on terrestrial radio stations via Univision. The broadcasts will also be distributed via SiriusXM. All three games will also be streamed online for free on westwoodonesports.com. Additionally, the broadcasts will be available for free via the NCAA March Madness mobile app or The Varsity Network app. Fans can also access live audio via Alexa-enabled devices by asking to “Abre Westwood One Sports”. TuneIn premium subscribers can also hear all the action live.
Westwood One is the exclusive broadcast radio, digital audio, distribution, and licensing partner for the NCAA Championships. Westwood One has broadcast the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament since 1982 and every game of March Madness® on multiple platforms since 2005. In addition, the network has broadcast the Women’s Final Four and Championship for more than 25 years.
NCAA, Final Four, and March Madness are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
About Westwood One Sports
Westwood One Sports is home to some of the most exciting sports broadcasts on radio. In addition to NCAA Basketball, including the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Championships and the Final Four; it is also the exclusive provider of the Men’s and Women’s Frozen Four, the Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Championship, and the Men’s and Women’s College World Series. Westwood One has been the exclusive network radio partner to the NFL since 1987. Westwood One also distributes and represents CBS Sports Radio. On social media, join the Westwood One Sports community on Twitter at twitter.com/westwood1sports. For more information, visit www.westwoodonesports.com.
About Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media (NASDAQ: CMLS) is an audio-first media company delivering premium content to over a quarter billion people every month — wherever and whenever they want it. Cumulus Media engages listeners with high-quality local programming through 404 owned-and-operated radio stations across 85 markets; delivers nationally-syndicated sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming from iconic brands including the NFL, the NCAA, the Masters, CNN, the AP, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and many other world-class partners across more than 9,400 affiliated stations through Westwood One, the largest audio network in America; and inspires listeners through the Cumulus Podcast Network, its rapidly growing network of original podcasts that are smart, entertaining and thought-provoking. Cumulus Media provides advertisers with personal connections, local impact and national reach through broadcast and on-demand digital, mobile, social, and voice-activated platforms, as well as integrated digital marketing services, powerful influencers, full-service audio solutions, industry-leading research and insights, and live event experiences. Cumulus Media is the only audio media company to provide marketers with local and national advertising performance guarantees. For more information visit www.cumulusmedia.com.
About the NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola as official corporate champions and the following elite companies as official corporate partners: Aflac, Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Great Clips, Invesco, LG, Marriott Bonvoy, Nabisco, Nissan, Pizza Hut, Reese’s, TurboTax, Unilever and Wendy’s.
Contact: Karen Glover | Westwood One | kglover@westwoodone.com
