From rebranding Univision Deportes to TUDN last July to getting creative when the pandemic put live sports on hiatus, Rodriguez has been going nonstop. He has a lot of trophies to show for it, including hosting the most-watched UEFA Champions League season of all-time in the US (more than 22 million viewers) and the launch of TUDNxtra and Zona Futbol to give fans even more soccer, including highlights of every goal. A member of Univision’s newly-formed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, he believes D&I should be part of a company’s DNA. “To do this, it is important to reflect and have hard conversations across the company. A company needs to hold itself accountable and it starts by having honest discussions with employees across all levels to find the deficiencies that exist and taking immediate, real steps towards improving,” he says.
The conversation about racial injustice in 2020 has been… a long time coming.
In what ways can companies best show a sincere commitment to diversity and inclusion?
First and foremost, it should be part of the company’s DNA. It must be part of the culture, not just a top-down mandate. To do this, it is important to reflect and have hard conversations across the company. A company needs to hold itself accountable and it starts by having honest discussions with employees across all levels to find the deficiencies that exist and taking immediate, real steps towards improving.
What initiatives in our industry best embrace diversity?
Sports are a vehicle for social change and are often at the forefront of change and diversity. This is true both on the field of play and on the corporate side. Whether with kids playing soccer in the streets in Latin America or entire leagues uniting in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, sports has the power to unite and to make these voices heard. For me, the steps taken by Major League Soccer to champion inclusivity and most recently to stand with their Black players and support the Black Lives Matter movement was powerful and a decision that has had an positive ripple effect across the sport.
