Latinas in Sports Journalism Gain Ground as Nicole Fernandez Covers Super Bowl 2025

Latinas in Sports Journalism Gain Ground as Nicole Fernandez Covers Super Bowl 2025
Credit: DRAFTED

Latinas have long existed in the margins of sports media. The industry has dictated their roles, limited their access, and kept the most coveted seats reserved for those who fit a predetermined mold. Super Bowl coverage has been no different, dominated by legacy media and faces that rarely reflect the millions of Latinos who fuel the sport’s passion. This year, that changed. 

Latinas in Sports Journalism Gain Ground as Nicole Fernandez Covers Super Bowl 2025
Nicole Fernandez with Eli Manning/ Credit: DRAFTED

Nicole Fernandez, a Colombian-American with 15 years in the industry, steps onto one of the biggest stages in sports journalism. BELatina had the chance to speak with Fernandez about this milestone, one made possible through DRAFTED’s Las Capitanas program, designed to launch Latina content creators into career-defining opportunities. With Verizon’s backing, Fernandez not only covered the Super Bowl but led important conversations. 

Her journey defies the unspoken rules of sports media. But let’s be real: Latinas have always had the talent. The only problem has been that the industry has simply failed to recognize it. However, this moment is proof that access and opportunity can shift the landscape. 

Q&A with Nicole Fernandez 

Interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.   

You’re stepping into a space that has long been dominated by legacy media, a space where Latinas have rarely been given a seat at the table. When you walk into that room, what will be the first thing on your mind? 

The first thing on my mind was I can’t believe I’m here. I’ve been in the sports industry for more than 12 years, and it’s the first time I’m at a Super Bowl — through an amazing opportunity thanks to DRAFTED and Verizon. Full transparency, I was very nervous Thursday morning. I kept taking deep breaths as I got ready, deep breaths as I walked into the Convention Center for Radio Row, and when I saw the booth, I kept repeating to myself: I got this. I belong here because I’ve worked hard for this. Take it all in. 

Your journey as a Colombian immigrant and journalist spans 15 years. When you started, did you ever imagine a moment like this? Or was breaking into spaces like the Super Bowl something that felt unattainable? 

I was born and raised in Miami, FL, to parents from Barranquilla, Colombia. Eleven years ago, I became a Colombian citizen. I obtained dual citizenship through my parents. Being a Latina, a woman in sports, I never imagined actually living a moment like this. I knew it could be possible — that’s why I have worked toward a moment like this for so many years— but it also seemed out of my reach. I’ve worked so many years in the industry, and I never felt I could actually have a moment like this. After so many no’s, it only takes one yes. 

DRAFTED’s Las Capitanas program is creating opportunities that didn’t exist before. But talent like yours has always been there. What do you think has held the industry back from recognizing Latinas as power players in sports media? 

This is a great question. I wish there was a simple answer, but I think it’s very complex. From my experience and from observing the industry, I’ve noticed there has always been room for one woman — not many women. Unfortunately, that’s where the circle for Latina women has been reduced. I do think it has changed because of the tenacity of Latinas, the power of showing our work through social media and other platforms. 

This year, thanks to Verizon and DRAFTED, you’re helping shape the conversation at the Super Bowl. How do you plan to use this platform to amplify the voices of other Latinas in sports? 

I feel very grateful and honored to have received this opportunity thanks to DRAFTED and Verizon. I plan to ask the right questions, do my best to tell the stories of powerful and successful Latinas in the sports industry, and be an ambassador for DRAFTED to spread their message and work. 

Bilingual interviews mean you’ll be connecting with our community, which often gets overlooked in mainstream coverage. How does that shift the way you approach storytelling in a space like this? 

I love being bilingual, and I feel this has to be embraced more. We have such a powerful tool and advantage to be able to communicate in another language. For me, bilingual interviews lead to conversations and take the level of connecting and storytelling to another level. There’s an emotion behind connecting in both languages, and I love to utilize that in spaces like this. 

There’s a weight to being ‘the first’ or ‘one of the few.’ It’s historic, but it can also be exhausting. Do you feel the pressure to represent something bigger than yourself in moments like these? 

I don’t feel the pressure. I feel gratitude to be in moments, in spaces, and in places like these. Just being here is a big step to show what women—what Latinas—can do and bring to sports and to big events like the Super Bowl. Being the first or one of the few means more are coming after me. That is extraordinary — to be a part of something bigger than myself by representing those that will come after me. 

The sports media industry loves to say it’s evolving, but you’ve lived the reality of how slow that change can be. Beyond initiatives like this, what still needs to happen for Latinas to truly claim their place in the industry? 

One hundred percent there still needs to be a lot of changes for Latinas to grow and evolve in the sports industry. I believe for this to happen, there need to be more seats at the table. There need to be more women and men who want to see us succeed by giving us opportunities to be a part of the sports industry. We need more accessibility to do internships, to participate, to work in sports. We need more invitations to impactful conferences and events that connect Latinas to the industry. 

For every young Latina watching you at the Super Bowl, seeing herself in a space she’s been told isn’t for her — what’s the message you want her to take away from this moment? 

I’d tell every young Latina: if you can dream it, work hard at it, and never ever settle, you’ll make it anywhere because you do belong here. As women, we each have a unique voice, and as Latina women, we have an extra uniqueness. We have to embrace that to go after what we want. We must keep knocking on doors to make our dreams come true. It isn’t easy, and I’ve wanted to give up many times. I’ve learned that preparation is key and that timing is everything. Lastly, and most importantly, believe in yourself. Only you can take yourself far. Trust your vision, your intuition, and believe in that. You got this!  

Moments like these don’t just happen. They come after years of persistence, setbacks, and fighting for visibility. What was the hardest moment in your career when you thought, ‘Maybe this isn’t going to happen for me’? And what pushed you forward? 

I’m someone who’s passionate about the work I do. I’ve poured that passion into the sports industry for more than 12 years — in different sports, in different media outlets, and in different job positions. I’ll be honest. I’ve wanted to give up many times because I would start wondering if all my hard work would ever pay off. Ironically, every time I doubted myself, I’d get a freelance job opportunity or meet someone in the industry who’d help me. What would push me forward in moments like these was the conversation I had with myself: I didn’t make it this far to give up. What’s for me will be. I know my work speaks for itself, and I have to trust in that. 

Five years from now, when you look back at Super Bowl 2025, what do you hope this moment represents? 

This question actually got me emotional. It made me think about how impactful this moment and experience is to me and to the industry. Being present and showing what we Latinas can do and bring to the industry is something I take with great responsibility and honor. I hope being here at Super Bowl 59 keeps opening the door for us. I hope this moment represents evolution and relevance in both myself and in the industry. 

Latinas belong in sports media. They always have. And this Super Bowl is proof that the industry is finally catching up. 

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