Carlos Lopez is the first-ever Spanish broadcaster for the University of Tennessee and the voice behind Vamos Vols. But his path to the broadcast booth started with something much simpler: a phone, a Tennessee football game, and the thought, “I think I can do this better.”
Carlos joins Haley Jones on the Big Orange Business Podcast to share how a 32-second call during the Tennessee–Alabama game went viral, eventually helping him create a new way for Spanish-speaking fans to experience Tennessee athletics.
They talk about the rise of Vamos Vols, the growing Hispanic community in Knoxville and East Tennessee, Carlos’ journey from Venezuela to Tennessee, and why East Tennessee became home. Carlos also shares what goes into preparing for a Tennessee football broadcast, his thoughts on the 2026 Vols, and why reaching fans in Spanish is about much more than simply translating the game.
You’ll also hear how Carlos sent roughly 400 messages looking for one opportunity, why Vol fans started calling him “Juan Ward,” how Vamos Vols has expanded beyond football, and the remarkable story of how the platform helped Tennessee land a top-five diver in the world over the University of Miami.
It’s a story about Tennessee football, persistence, representation, community, and creating something that didn’t exist before—right here in East Tennessee.
Hosted by Haley Jones, Knoxville Realtor and host of the Big Orange Business Podcast, sharing the people, businesses and stories that make Knoxville and East Tennessee such a special place to live, work and build a life.
Want to follow Carlos Lopez and keep up with Vamos Vols, Tennessee Football, and his Spanish-language coverage of the Vols? Connect with Carlos on social media: