Pete Radovich talks Super Bowl, Croatian heritage and more on ‘Croatia and Sport’ podcast

Pete Radovich wearing a Mišo Kovač t-shirt at the Super Bowl (Photo: X/Pete Radovich)

by Croatia Week

Pete Radovich, vice president for production and senior creative director at CBS Sports, was the guest of the second Croatian Radio New York podcast ‘Croatia and Sports’. 

A 41-time Emmy Award winner and a producer of the Super Bowl, Radovich is one of the world’s most prolific TV producers. He was born in the USA. His father is from Kaprije near Šibenik, and his mother is from Pašman.

In the podcast, Radovich described how busy he is preparing for the Super Bowl. As he smiled, he said it’s fortunate that the Super Bowl is held every three years instead of every year, as otherwise he wouldn’t have stayed at CBS. 

Furthermore, he said that working on the Super Bowl has been a great honor for him. After highlighting his Croatian heritage, Radovich talked about the early stages of his career and how he was able to handle any situation. He said that the situation he came from was actually an advantage.

Pete Radovich at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar (Photo: X/Pete Radovich)

Podcast host Srecko Mavrek then spoke with Radovich about the rising popularity of soccer in America and the significant contribution Croatian athletes have made to the promotion of the country. 

They both agreed that soccer in America has a brighter future and will gain popularity, especially during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Radovich also produces the UEFA Champions League for CBS and often visits Zagreb for coffee with friends. He travels to London twice a month. 

(Photo: X/Pete Radovich)

According to CBS data, soccer is currently the third most popular sport, even more popular than baseball, said Radovich. He also mentioned Croatian striker Petar Musa, who recently signed with Dallas, and Luka Modric’s potential to end his career in America.

The host asked Radovich what he thought was the reason Croatian athletes were so successful. “I believe it’s genetics, and Croatian people are fierce and have a heart and something indescribable. If I had that answer, I would sell it all over the world. Thank God it’s that way!”

Mavrek and Radovich also agreed that patriotism is a significant motivational factor for Croatian athletes. Radovich said that, for example, Vida and Lovren give much more of themselves in the game when they play for the Croatian national team than for their clubs. Radovich concluded that Croatian athletes are united by their love for the country and a common unity for Croatia.

By the way, Radovich often stays in Croatia. According to his employment contract with CBS, the employer must allow him to spend five weeks in Croatia each summer. In addition to acquiring Croatian citizenship in 2023, he is currently working on producing “Football Must Go On”, a film that follows Ukrainian Shakhtar players during the Champions League season.

Listen to the whole podcast below: