Go Inside The Making of “My Name Is Dany Garcia,” ESPN’s new profile of the UFL’s co-owner

ESPN’s upcoming documentary “My Name is Dany Garcia” explores the remarkable journey of businesswoman Dany Garcia, premiering tonight (10 ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes).

Garcia is the Founder, CEO, and Chairwoman of The Garcia Companies and co-owner of the United Football League (UFL), the newly formed spring pro football league that resulted from the merger of the XFL – which Garcia co-owned last spring – and USFL.

Before the UFL kicks off on ESPN and ABC platforms this weekend, the documentary offers viewers an exclusive glimpse into Garcia’s life and achievements.

Front Row asked Tory Zawacki Roy, an ESPN features producer as well as the film’s director and reporter, about her storytelling process. The film’s debut comes one year to the day she was pitched the idea by Deportes to profile Garcia.

“So it’s been a year: from initial research, coordinating the schedule with her team, filming, and being in the edit room,” said Roy, who balanced this project with her ESPN NFL Production assignments.”Pretty incredible that literally, one year to the day we first began talking about this, we are now premiering it on Deportes and ESPN2.”

What inspired ESPN to create a documentary focused on Garcia?
Roy: To put it simply – curiosity! When the XFL returned in 2023, and we realized its chairwoman and co-owner was female – Dany Garcia – we were so excited to learn more about who she is and how she became the first female owner of a major sports league. Above all else, to be “curious” about a story is how I like to approach projects. And I loved learning everything I possibly could about Dany.

How did ESPN’s Features Unit and ESPN Deportes collaborate?
Roy: The collaboration began in early 2023 and aimed to feature Garcia for Hispanic Heritage Month. Senior managing producer Gustavo Coletti, who oversees SC Reportajes, connected me with the ESPN Deportes team, and together with ESPN Vice President, Production, Jose Morales, who oversees the Features Unit, we collaborated on what this profile could look like.

Especially for me, witnessing her ability to command attention and respect, whether in a boardroom filled with men or on the field addressing football players, is incredibly inspiring. Her presence in traditionally male-dominated spaces not only breaks barriers but also refreshes the narrative around women in sports. – ESPN feature producer Tory Zawacki Roy on profiling UFL co-owner Dany Garcia

Dany is a first-generation Cuban American. Understanding the significance of her heritage and the values instilled by it, we prioritized interviewing her father, Hiram Garcia. He preferred to do his interview in Spanish, allowing him to share his memories easily. He connected well with [ESPN Deportes reporter] Sebastian Christensen, who did the interview. This interaction couldn’t have happened without the support of the Deportes team, and her father’s perspective added such a powerful layer to Dany’s story.

Garcia is known for her diverse roles. With so many aspects of her life to highlight, what was your process for crafting the content to ensure it authentically captured her story?
Roy: Not an easy one! And there are many of Dany’s hats that we just didn’t have time to get to in the doc, like how she earned her pro card in bodybuilding or the story behind her fashion brand, GSTQ. Both of these ventures speak to who Dany is, not only as a driven athlete and accomplished businesswoman but who she is as a person. Narrowing down all the layers was incredibly difficult. For our story in particular, we had to streamline the narrative to her journey towards league ownership, and especially for the ESPN audience who will be tuning into UFL spring games, we wanted to put a lens on who she is and how she got here. Hopefully, as spring football kicks off, those fans can now recognize her and feel like they know her.

(L-R): Tory Zawacki Roy; Hiram Garcia Sr. (Dany Garcia’s father), and ESPN Deportes’ correspondent Sebastian Christensen (Tory Zawacki Roy/ESPN)

Garcia watches from the sidelines during the 2023 XFL Championship Game. (Tory Zawacki Roy/ESPN)

Dany Garcia addresses a team in the XFL. (Tory Zawacki RoyESPN)

How does the documentary highlight her impact on reshaping the sports industry landscape?
Roy: Dany is reshaping the sports industry landscape by simply being Dany. It sounds simple, but with our crew following her for about a year (off and on), it became clear through our conversations with her UFL colleagues, players, and coaches that her approach is distinctively different from the norm we have seen in other sports leagues. Especially for me, witnessing her ability to command attention and respect, whether in a boardroom filled with men or on the field addressing football players, is incredibly inspiring. Her presence in traditionally male-dominated spaces not only breaks barriers but also refreshes the narrative around women in sports.

EDITOR’S NOTES: In addition to the documentary, Roy produced a written profile piece on Garcia that will be featured on ESPN.com, ESPNDeportes.com, and espnW soon after the film’s premiere. The film’s release coincides with the start of the 2024 United Football League (UFL) on Saturday. ESPN and ABC platforms will showcase 21 games, including one semifinal matchup this year. The full 21-game slate on ESPN & ABC is also available on ESPN+. Select games will also be available in Spanish-language via ESPN Deportes. The league makes its debut following the merger between the two spring football leagues, XFL and USFL. For more on ESPN’s UFL coverage, visit ESPN PressRoom. Learn more about the UFL’s evolution in the video below.