Telemundo Deportes’ Eli Velazquez on First Year in New Leadership Role, Building Excitement for 2024 and Beyond

Since the conclusion of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar, Telemundo Deportes’ Eli Velazquez experienced an exhilarating 2023: the industry veteran took over the overall direction of the division when he was promoted to EVP of Sports last March, Copa Mundial won the Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Studio Show in Spanish for their onsite coverage in Doha, he and his team helped shepherd production and operations for their coverage of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and the network acquired numerous media rights, including exclusive Spanish-language coverage of Las Chivas de Guadalajara as well as the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams.

At the 2023 SVG Summit, Velazquez breaks down his first year in this new role, reflects on the success of last summer’s international women’s soccer tournament, the initiatives that have been implemented and the media rights that have been expanded under his leadership, a preview of their efforts at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and how all of this progress is building momentum towards the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup in the United States.