LOS ANGELES – February 13, 2026 – On the heels of a successful inaugural launch event in December, Telemundo hosted the second edition of The Playmakers Thursday evening at the Universal Studios Lot, bringing together influential voices across sports, media, culture, and fashion for an evening of dynamic conversations ahead of the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. The invitation-only gathering marked the second installment of Telemundo’s national thought-leadership series created to spotlight the leaders, ideas, and cultural forces shaping the next era of sports.
The Playmakers LA event was highlighted by Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end and media personality Tony Gonzalez who sat down for an intimate firesidechat with Telemundo sports journalist and El Pelotazo co-host, Diego Arrioja, offering first-person insight into navigating the transition from professional athlete to media leader and entrepreneur. Gonzalez also reflected on the impact and power of storytelling and representation in sports, and the pivotal role Los Angeles and its vibrant Latino fandom play in redefining sports storytelling on a global stage.
Fresh off a record-breaking coverage of the Super Bowl LX, The Playmakers LA kicked off with Monica Gil, Chief Administrative and Marketing Officer at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, who opened the program by welcoming attendees to an evening with “Playmakers, who are moving the industry, redefining how we watch, how we cheer, how we invest, and how we as Latinos are at the center of this conversation.”
Gil was followed by a lively panel discussion moderated by co-host of Telemundo52’s lifestyle program Acceso Total, Silvana Effio on “Creating Fandom and Culture through Music, Fashion and Sports,” featuring Rich Orosco, Chief Brand Officer of LAFC, Stephanie Mejia, NBA agent with WME Basketball, and Carlos Eric Lopez, photographer and founder of Cura Lita. The conversation explored how cross-industry collaboration is reshaping fan engagement and building cultural relevance beyond the game.
The Playmakers presented by Telemundo is a national platform designed to celebrate and spotlight the leaders and ideas shaping the next era of sport through a series of invitation-only curated conversations across America. As the exclusive Spanish-language home of the FIFA World Cup 26™, NFL’s Sunday Night Football, the NBA, the Olympic Games, Premier League and other major sporting events, Telemundo sets the stage to celebrate Latino contributions to sports while bringing together diverse personalities from across leagues and industries, including athletes and owners, executives and investors, creators and community builders.
Telemundo sports journalist and El Pelotazo co-host Diego Arrioja and Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end and media personality Tony Gonzalez during their headline fireside conversation at The Playmakers event in Los Angeles on February 12, 2026. Photo credit: Telemundo
Additional approved photos are available here.
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About NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises leads the media industry in the production and distribution of Spanish-language content for U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. The company serves U.S. Hispanics through its national broadcast network, the cable network Universo, and digital platforms including the Telemundo app, a suite of FAST channels, and streaming services, such as Peacock, among others. The Telemundo Network offers Spanish-language entertainment, news, and sports content reaching 95% of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 markets through 30 owned stations and 91 affiliate stations. Telemundo also owns an independent station serving Puerto Rico. Anchored on Telemundo Studios, the network is the #1 producer of scripted Spanish-language content in the U.S., and the only network to produce original content specifically for US Hispanic audiences. Offering over 600 hours of reality TV shows a year, and top-rated live specials such as the Billboard Latin Music Awards and Miss Universe, Telemundo is considered the undisputed Home of Live TV in Hispanic media. The network is also the exclusive Spanish-language home of the world’s two most popular sporting events, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
Media Contacts:
Melissa Lopez; Melissa.Lopez1@nbcuni.com; (786) 889-3914
