With J.Lo & Shakira Super Bowl Halftime Show, NFL Looks to Expand an Already Growing Latino Fan Base

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Shakira and Jennifer Lopez speak onstage during the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show Press Conference at Hilton Miami Downtown on Jan. 30, 2020 in Miami.
A Conversation With NFL Cultural Marketing Strategist Javier Farfán
There are only 16 Latinos currently playing in the National Football League but Hispanics' interest for the sport is at an all-time high -- and growing.

“In 2019 we grew by 1.5 million fans to reach an all-time high of about 30.2 million fans," says Javier Farfán, the NFL’s cultural marketing strategist, citing a SSRS/Luker on Trends sports poll. "The NFL has had the largest Hispanic growth in fandom among all major sports, including NBA, MLB and international soccer.”

Farfán, who came to the NFL after stints in PepsiCo (as head of music,