NHL pushes puck up ice in bid to reach Latino communities
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Scott Gomez grew up among the diverse cultures that amalgamate around Anchorage, Alaska. Race was something he never really thought about, particularly on the ice.
The son of a Mexican American father and Colombian mother, Gomez heard a few disparaging remarks while coming up through the junior and professional ranks, but the occasions were rare.
He was a hockey player and that’s all that mattered.
“The game was always accepting,” said Gomez, an assistant coach with the New York Rangers. “When you’re in that locker room, you’re one of the boys. Sure, you’re going to get the occasional off-color joke, but long as you give it back you’re fine. It’s never about race. It’s about what you can do on the ice.”
Gomez was one of the first Latinos to reach the NHL in 1999 — Bill Guerin was the first — and he played 16 seasons for seven teams, winning the Stanley Cup twice with New Jersey.
The number of Latino players has increased across the NHL, minor leagues and colleges in recent years, including Auston Matthews, Max Pacioretty, Al Montoya and Raffi Torres. More are on the way. The NHL and teams across the league have made big pushes to tap a massive potential fan base and develop Latino players — in the United States and Mexico.
“This is a sport that’s about passion, it’s about skill and it’s a sport that can really bring together families and it can be multigeneration,” Arizona Coyotes President and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said. “I think it’s a sport that’s primed to become a part of the Latino community in the U.S., and it’s important for the NHL to do it.”
The Coyotes have been at the forefront of the push, starting in the front office.
Gutierrez became the first Latino president and CEO in NHL history when he was hired last year. His boss, Alex Meruelo, became the first Latino majority owner when he bought the Coyotes in 2019.
The Coyotes, like other teams in the Southwest, play in markets with huge Latino populations and have developed programs to engage those communities.
Arizona created a Hispanic Advisory Board to improve relationships with the Hispanic community after Meruelo bought the team and has expanded its outreach.
The Coyotes have also created partnerships with Latino business associations and have gone into school districts with dense Latino populations to introduce kids to the Coyotes and hockey.
Arizona has held youth ball hockey clinics with organizations in areas with large Latino populations, bringing sticks and balls that kids can take home to continue their interest in the game. The Coyotes also have Spanish-language social media accounts to engage Latino fans.
“You think of Arizona, I absolutely have to go after the Latino community because they are the consumer base and they are continuing to grow, and they are the labor force and the business ownership,” Gutierrez said.
The efforts are growing outside the state as well.
The NHL launched a Spanish-language platform on its website in 2019, providing content from native Spanish-speaking reporters The league also began celebrating Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month to amplify the stories of people who have made contributions to the game.