ESPN Deportes’ Carolina Guillén and Fernando Palomo have been Sports Center anchors in Latin America since the early 2000’s finding remarkable success as broadcasters. The enthusiasm and natural expression evidenced in their reporting originated around childhood dinner tables where athletics dominated the conversation for both families.
Sports was not just a lively topic of conversation in these two homes. These children were expected to participate and to excel in a chosen sport. And they have!
The El Salvadorian-born Palomo and all his siblings participated in sports in one capacity or another throughout their youth. Several went on to pursue college athletics. One competed in the Rowing World Championship and another played professional soccer. Fernando himself was a member of the National Track and Field Team of El Salvador and remains to this day the record holder in the Javelin Throw. This culture of sports was such an integral part of Palomo’s upbringing that his professional pursuits not only fulfilled his dreams, but he feels they followed as a matter of course.
“When I sent my resume up to ESPN in 1999 and they contacted me to have an interview, I figured being considered by ESPN was the best thing that could happen to me.”
The early excitement he felt about his first big break in the industry hasn’t waivered with time. His role at ESPN started and continues to be a passion project. Palomo attributes his personal success to that youthful passion for sports which naturally translates into the genuine enthusiasm and dedication evident in his on-air personality.
“I’ve had just one goal since I started, which is to try and have as much fun as you can, day in and day out.”
In our interview he spoke extensively about the joys of the job, as well as the opportunities he’s stumbled into as a result. Palomo laughed as he remembered the expectations which he was expected to fulfill.
“If you’re from Latin America you’re supposed to be playing soccer at some point in your life. I ended up realizing that my skills were not good enough. Well, I didn’t actually realize it, my coaches realized it for me.”
Although his experiences on the soccer field were short lived, his passion for the sport carried on when he was able to transition into his role as a soccer commentator, an opportunity for which he had long been waiting. While working on Sports Center in Mexico, he was given the opportunity to call soccer and has since been a commentator for the Fifa World Cup and has begun co-hosting ESPN International’s highest rated soccer program. According to Palomo, his career high came during the 2012 Olympics in London.
“Having the chance to work the Olympics is one of those things that was really close and near to my heart because I’ve followed them since 1984. Being directly involved in a project as big as the Olympics definitely stands out.”
Feura de Juego co-host Carolina Guillén followed a similar path into the field after playing college soccer in her home country of Venezuela. While pursuing a degree in Communications Guillén watched as many of her classmates entered entertainment and news work. Carolina saw a different route for herself.
“I always had the desire to be on TV, but I wanted to do something different than everyone else and the first thing that came to my mind was sports. Not many women were doing sports by that time and I said Why can’t I be the first?”
When Guillén sent in her resume, she was offered a position in baseball reporting. An opportunity she describes as an “experiment.”
“They didn’t know at the time if I could be successful, but I showed them that what I came for was to learn and to build a career.”
In addition to her role alongside Palomo, Guillén also serves as co-host for ESPN Deportes and ESPN International’s weekly baseball news and highlights program, Béisbol Esta Noche. She made her MLB debut at the 2004 All-Star Game in Houston, has covered the Home Run Derby, the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic, the Caribbean Series, and the network’s coverage of winter baseball.
As a woman in a male dominated field, Guillén has no doubt faced her share of opposition, but it hasn’t slowed her success. She details her experience this way:
“Women are capable of doing the same job as every man in the world. You just need to be professional, to understand the codes, and you need to keep a low-profile. I don’t want people to see a difference, I just want people to see me as a sports journalist.”
While she believes gender doesn’t have to be a factor, she also notes that it can be. “We have extra eyes watching us,” For Guillén there is something to prove, and her impeccable track record with ESPN is obvious evidence that she is doing just that. Despite an already full plate, Guillén was unexpectedly offered the opportunity to fill in on a network soccer program. One of her bosses called and said:
“Listen I don’t have anyone to host Fuera de Juego today, or tomorrow or the whole week, because everyone is on vacation, could you do it?”
And she said “Of course!” After impressing the bosses, Guillén was offered a permanent spot alongside co-host Fernando Palomo. The promotion was an obvious testament to Guillén’s talent and success, furthering her influence as a woman in the sports industry.
“ESPN is a pioneer in hiring women in our chosen field of broadcasting. Thanks to them we have a bunch of girls who love sports and who do a wonderful job.”
Carolina Guillén and Fernando Palomo have both found remarkable success as broadcasters on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, but when discussing their network it felt to us like so much more than a conversation. Each day they stand behind that ESPN desk, they are just kids again, sitting around a family dinner table discussing their passion for sports. But this time the entire world can tune in to watch and listen.
Creative Credits
- Written by
- Megan Schaltegger
- Photography
- ESPN Images
