Behind the scenes with the Spanish commentators of Vol football

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — If you’re listening to Vol football games on 99.1 The Sports Animal, you hear these three, Carlos Lopez, Fuad Reveiz and J.P . Vasquez. They are bringing Spanish commentary to American football and it all started with a love for the game of football.

“We were in the living with this dream of bringing this enthusiasm and bringing this passion we have for the game of football to the rest of the world,” Carlos Lopez said. “Vol fans that were like me that came over here and couldn’t speak English and that wanted to be a part of it.”

Among the trio is Fuad Reveiz, former Vol and NFL kicker. For him it’s a full circle moment as he remembers his time in the NFL when his dad would watch him play.

“When I was playing for the Miami Dolphins, my dad would watch a game on TV and turn the volume down and put the radio on in Spanish,” Reveiz said. “It brings back a lot of memories of my dad when he was there watching the game and that’s the way he enjoyed it. That’s what we are trying to bring to the home of many folks so they can just watch the game, turn the volume down and listen to it in their native language. That’s what makes it fun.”

J.P. Vasquez added what Hispanic Heritage Month means to him and to be apart of this broadcast team.

“It’s a time where you can celebrate who you are without having to hide who it is,” Vasquez said. “I’m proud to be who I am and to be able to celebrate that here.”

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Lopez saying this style of broadcast should have already existed. The group reaches far beyond East Tennessee.

“It should have already been done. They should have already been here, hey let’s do this, what we get to do it’s incredible,” Lopez said. “We have now reached 11 Latin American countries, there’s a family listening in Canada. It just goes to show you that, one of the things Ryan McGee said last week was, every university should have this.”

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