Arizona Cardinals’ bilingual broadcaster embracing Mexican American roots

PHOENIX — When Felipe Corral Jr. decided to pursue a career in sports broadcasting, he was hesitant on picking a language specialization.

The son of a longtime Univision sports anchor in Phoenix, Corral Jr. struggled with the idea of building his profession around English or Spanish.

His father’s presence in the Hispanic sports community didn’t simplify the decision.

Corral Jr. said he didn’t want to live in the shadow of his father, but wanted to showcase his heritage and provide vital information to as many people as possible.

“I’m going to embrace the Spanish in me but at the same time I’m trying to make my career in English,” Corral Jr. said.

Corral Jr., who is Mexican American, has served as a bilingual reporter and content producer for the Arizona Cardinals since 2018.

He hosts the Spanish radio halftime show on gamedays and is an analyst on the pregame and postgame shows.

The 26-year-old also hosts a podcast in English and a weekly social media segment with the Cardinals.

Corral Jr. said working with the team has given him the opportunity to explore broadcasting in Spanish and English.

He doesn’t plan to dive full time into broadcasting in Spanish but is grateful for the ability to represent the Hispanic community in Arizona.

“My dad has always told me to use Spanish to your advantage when needed but don’t depend on it,” Corral Jr. said.