ESPN Deportes La Revista ‘Latino Power: 101 Most Influential Latinos in Sports’.

ESPN Deportes La Revista, the Spanish-language edition of the award-winning ESPN The Magazine, will make its debut on newsstands this week with a cover story featuring “Latino Power: 101 Most Influential Latinos in Sports.” San Antonio Spurs star Manu Ginobili, who tops the list of the most influential Latinos, graces the cover of ESPN Deportes La Revista.

ESPN Deportes La Revista will join the roster of ESPN Deportes-branded initiatives that also includes ESPN Deportes television, ESPN Deportes Radio, ESPN Deportes.com, and ESPN Deportes Wireless, with which ESPN serves the U.S. Hispanic sports fan. Considered to be the only U.S. based general sports Spanish-language monthly publication, ESPN Deportes La Revista will be distributed in the top U.S. Hispanic markets, including Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Additional markets include cities in Massachusetts, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Puerto Rico.

“We are very excited about the debut of this magazine,” said Lino Garcia, general manager of ESPN Deportes. “ESPN Deportes La Revista will be an integral element to the ESPN Deportes advertising platform that we offer to our clients.”

The premiere issue’s cover story, “Latino Power: 101 Most Influential Latinos in Sports,” will rank the top 101 Latino athletes, coaches, owners, and executives. The list was determined jointly by the editorial staffs of ESPN Deportes La Revista and ESPN Deportes.com, with emphasis on the candidate’s recent impact, influence, and achievements.

This past season, Ginobili led the San Antonio Spurs to their second NBA championship in three years. He also led the Argentine National Team to a gold medal in the 2004 summer Olympics, after defeating the heavily favored USA Dream Team in the semi-finals.

“Ginobili is widely regarded as a hero in his native Argentina, as well as throughout Latin America and to Latinos in the U.S.,” said Juan Antonio Sempere, editor, ESPN Deportes La Revista. “His performance in the playoffs this year was outstanding, and his impact on international basketball will be felt for years to come.”

OTHER FEATURES IN THE PREMIERE ISSUE

RESPETO Y PODER (Respect and Power): 2005 Century 21 Home Run Derby champ Bobby Abreu is a quiet superstar who lets his bat and leadership do the talking. However, he just learned that sometimes life puts you in the spotlight, forcing you to learn how to play a whole new ballgame. ESPN Deportes La Revista columnist Javier Ibarra reports.

EL LARGO Y SINUOSO CAMINO: Being a professional boxer is a tough calling. But being a boxer in the gritty towns of Northern Mexico and trying to make it big across the border is a true test of human strength. ESPN The Magazine columnist Tim Struby reports.

MIRADA ABIERTA: A significant number of Hispanic athletes are testing positive for controlled substances in Major League Baseball. In Español por favo! Could this be a language barrier issue? ESPN The Magazine columnist Dan LeBatard reports.

DREAM TEAM: With the World Championship of Baseball all but confirmed for early 2006, we wonder how the U.S. team would perform against an all-Latin lineup. ESPN Deportes La Revista columnist Roberto Colon reports.

ONCE IDEAL: ESPN Deportes’ top analysts Luis Omar Tapia, Mario “el Matador” Kempes, and Randy Alvarez tell it like it is as they put together their list of the top soccer players worldwide.

ARENA, MOTOS, ROCK & ROLL: An eyewitness account of the Red Bull X Fighters Freestyle Motocross show in Mexico, an event that marries aerial acrobatics on a dirt bike with the traditional bullfighting ambience. ESPN Deportes La Revista columnist Armando Reygadas report.