FOX Sports Films Announces New Original Documentary Welcome to the J-Rod Show Premiering Tuesday July 16 on FS1
Documentary Follows Inspirational Journey of Seattle Mariners Superstar Center Fielder Julio Rodríguez
Exclusive Interviews with Seattle Mariners Teammate J.P. Crawford, National Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., and World Series Champion and FOX MLB Studio Analyst Alex Rodriguez
Produced by FOX Sports Films, Religion of Sports, and MLB with Executive Producer Derek Jeter’s CAP 2 Productions
Click here for a First Look at Film’s Trailer
LOS ANGELES – FOX Sports Films announces today its newest original documentary WELCOME TO THE J-ROD SHOW following the inspirational journey of one of the youngest breakout stars in Major League Baseball (MLB), Julio Rodríguez, also known to many of his fans as “J-Rod.” Produced by FOX Sports Films, Religion of Sports, and MLB with executive producer Derek Jeter’s CAP 2 Productions, the film features exclusive interviews with Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford, National Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., and World Series champion and FOX MLB studio analyst Alex Rodriguez. The film premieres Tuesday, July 16 at 11:30 PM ET on FS1, following the network’s live postgame coverage of the 2024 MLB All-Star Game on FOX.
“Julio Rodríguez’s journey to the Major Leagues resembles that of a fairytale and FOX Sports is thrilled to partner with Religion of Sports to spotlight the compelling story behind his meteoric rise to become one of the hottest young stars in the league,” said Barry Nugent, Vice President, Development and Original Programming, FOX Sports. “In the naissance of his baseball career, we wanted to break away from the typical sports documentary narrative and showcase those early stages of a young athlete’s burning desire for greatness and the impact it has on the sport and the fans.”
WELCOME TO THE J-ROD SHOW spotlights the American League Rookie of the Year and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner’s remarkable quest to the Major Leagues, beginning with his humble roots in the Dominican Republic to his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners in 2022 to the tour de force in baseball he is today. The film provides viewers an in-depth, never-before-seen first-person perspective on Rodríguez as a person and athlete, along with insights from his family and closest supporters, to highlight the sacrifices he made to pursue his MLB dream.
“It was an honor to welcome the team from FOX Sports and Religion of Sports to follow my offseason process and tell a part of my story,” said Rodríguez. “I hope this film inspires others to have the same passion to always chase their dreams, as I continue to chase mine.”
After emerging as a baseball phenomenon in the Dominican Republic, Rodríguez taught himself English, moved to the United States as a teenager and rose through the Seattle Mariners’ Minor League system as a top prospect. Using the off-season to get in-shape and improve his technique, he made the leap from Double-A to the Majors with immense pressure on him to succeed.
Despite making the Opening Day roster for his 2022 MLB debut with the Mariners, Rodríguez faced a rocky start to his rookie season. With perseverance, he won the hearts of Seattle baseball fans not only with his on-field performance, but with his infectious smile, charm, and charisma. He soon became the new face of the franchise and a hopeful catalyst for Seattle to win its first World Series title.
“Julio’s enthusiasm for baseball and for life is infectious and Religion of Sports is proud to tell his story… at least his fascinating story so far,” said Victor Buhler, Senior Vice President, Development and Production, Religion of Sports. “Julio has hit incredible heights already, but his journey is only just beginning. Our film shows a player on the path to become potentially one of the all-time greats.”
The film is not solely about making it in the big leagues, it’s a story about the grit and resilience needed to achieve a dream in the face of adversity in life and on the field. Now age 23 and in his third Major League season, Rodríguez’s story has only just begun.
WELCOME TO THE J-ROD SHOW is executive produced by Gotham Chopra, Ameeth Sankaran, and Victor Buhler of Religion of Sports, and Eric Shanks, Mark Silverman, Charlie Dixon, and Barry Nugent of FOX Sports and FOX MLB Analyst Derek Jeter. The film is co-produced by FOX Sports Films, Religion of Sports, and MLB and is directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Bryant Robinson. Carl Hansen, Ariana Rotstein, Michael Vayder, Rita O’Dea and Omri Kruvi serve as producers. Julio Rodríguez is represented by JB Greer, Alyssa Romano, Daniel Forrest, and Ulises Cabrera.
FOX Sports Films is dedicated to presenting captivating global sports documentaries through an unconventional and entertaining lens. Working with FOX Sports’ league and conference partners, the brand produces original programming, connecting live sports events to sports culture.
For more information, visit FOX Sports Press Pass and follow @FOXSportsPR on Twitter.
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About FOX Sports
FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing FOX Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Network; FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports’ digital properties include FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, which provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, instant scores, stats and alerts to iOS and Android devices. Additionally, FOX Sports and social broadcasting platform, Caffeine jointly own Caffeine Studios which creates exclusive eSports, sports and live entertainment content. Also included in FOX Sports’ portfolio are FOX’s interests in joint-venture business Big Ten Network, and a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.
About Religion of Sports
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Religion of Sports (ROS) is an award-winning media company founded by Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, and filmmaker Gotham Chopra. To believe in the power of sports is to experience religion, and the company’s work is defined by thoughtful, elevated stories that explore a range of themes and uncover why sports matter.
Through scripted and unscripted video, podcasts, feature films and social content, ROS distills the spirituality, science and humanity that unites elite performers and people of all kinds. Since its inception, the company has built an impressive array of work in collaboration with the world’s most elite athletes, distributed across platforms including Netflix, Apple TV+, Prime Video, ESPN, Showtime, Fox Sports, NBC Sports, Facebook Watch and more. Among its highlights, “Man in the Arena,” “Tom vs Time,’’ and “Greatness Code” won Sports Emmy awards and projects on Simone Biles, Stephen Curry, Conor McGregor, Shohei Ohtani, and Russell Westbrook have captured global audiences.
FOX Sports Contact:
Joanna Salini
FOX Sports
Joanna.Salini@fox.com
Religion of Sports Contact:
Liz Biber
The Lede Company
Liz.Biber@ledecompany.com
