Rosana Franco can't stop smiling these days.

She is loving the changes in her career after having joined ESPN Deportes in October of last year following a long-time stint as co-host of Univision's República Deportiva and as a sports reporter for Primer Impacto.

"ESPN has been a very important part of my evolution," Franco said to Latin Post during Wednesday's ESPN Deportes Upfront in New York City. "To me, being on ESPN is like I arrived to the big leagues."

Franco is a trailblazer in the sports broadcasting industry after becoming one of the first female co-hosts of a sports show in Spanish-language television in the U.S. She joined República Deportiva in 1998 alongside Fernando Fiore and Jorge Gomez as hosts of the show. Franco proved her mettle, having covered two Super Bowls, three FIFA World Cups, three FIFA Confederation Cups, five CONCACAF Gold Cups, seven World Series and championship boxing for the Spanish network, and being inducted into the Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame.

"It was a concept that required evolution in broadcast media, specifically sports, because there were only men doing this on Spanish-language television in the United States. On the flip side, it was also a risk," Franco said. "Like anything else that is a 'first,' there was a certain resistance. And there were moments of resistance, more from co-workers and colleagues than from the public, weirdly enough. The public received us with a certain curiosity."

Franco admits that one of the biggest obstacles starting out in her career was having to prove to male sports audiences that she is just as knowledgeable as her male television counterparts.

"I had to convince the audience that I was doing my job because I enjoyed it, because I know sports, and because I earned my spot. And that required time," Franco said. "If you are a man who is in front of a camera and starts talking sports, the person watching assumes you know what you are talking about. Women, even to this day, have to prove that we know sports and show that we belong."

Franco could not be happier with ESPN Deportes, where she is hosting Raza Deportiva, alongside Omar Orlando, Leo Vega, David Faitelson, Rafa Ramos and Oscar Restrepo. Franco is very appreciative of the fans that have followed her over the years and are sticking by her side in the second act of her career, comparing the decision to move on to a different network to a divorce.

"When you get divorced, one knows when it's time to move on, but at the same time, it hurts," she said.

"I took some time to recuperate after leaving 'my house.' I'm very grateful for my time with Univision. They have given me everything I have up until now," Franco said. "Now with ESPN, I'm starting a second phase in my career, but the first part of my career, which is Rosana Franco working in the sports world. Univision gave me that opportunity. They gave me the chance to become known. They have an incredible audience -- millions and millions of people, not just in the U.S., but Latin America and Europe, and I'll always be eternally grateful.

"Once you get past the process of 'the divorce' and the emotional part of it, I feel like I have a new boyfriend, happy with life at ESPN. And much like a new boyfriend, I see a marvelous and romantic outlook with rose-colored shades that I hope lasts many years," she added.