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Sports Team Reaching Out To Non-traditional Markets

Latinos and Asians will comprise the majority of U.S. population growth between now and 2020. But in California's Santa Clara County, they will represent 90% of all growth, according to population projections. Teams like the San Jose Sharks and the San Francisco 49ers will increasingly need to attract fans that did not grow up watching Joe Montana throw on Sunday afternoon, or hearing the crack of a slap shot on a winter night.

The teams are cultivating female, Latino, Asian, and gay and lesbian fans; signing international stars who can forge lucrative immigrant connections in a team's home market; and even planting teams outside the United States.

Forty-niners owner John York has been going to the Castro -- often described as the gayest neighborhood in America -- since 2003 with wife and co-owner Denise DeBartolo York to promote the 49ers, part of a concerted strategy to reach gay and lesbian fans.

"That is an absolutely good opportunity to be able to meet fans," York says of the annual tour.

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