Freddy Rolón was promoted to senior VP, programming and scheduling at ESPN, tasked with leading the overall content strategy and schedule for the sports programmer’s linear networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews.
Formerly VP, programming and scheduling, he will continue to oversee all aspects of the linear and digital business for Spanish-language network ESPN Deportes.
“The pause in sports caused by the COVID-19 break brought an unprecedented level of unpredictability due to the ever-changing landscape, thousands of cancelled events, altered or postponed seasons, and more,” said Burke Magnus, president of programming and original content at ESPN, to whom Rolón reports. “Throughout that time, one factor remained constant — Freddy’s steady hand. While new to his role in programming and scheduling when the pandemic started, he led with excellence, and his strategic thinking guided us during a very tumultuous period.”
Rolón joined ESPN in 2004 and was VP of ESPN Deportes programming and business initiatives from 2011 through 2016. He was promoted to VP and general manager of ESPN Deportes in 2016 and stayed in that role until last year.
Throughout his tenure, Rolón has played a key role in developing its content strategy for reaching bilingual Hispanics who consume sports across all of ESPN’s English-language platforms, the programmer said.
