ESPN is making large adjustments to its content material group, with president of content material Burke Magnus outlining a sweeping new group construction that may elevate some high executives and see the corporate half methods with others.
In a memo to ESPN workers Monday, Magnus wrote that the adjustments will make the corporate “more strategic, collaborative and nimble, as we continue to excel in every area and function. We remain committed to employee development, and the restructure will result in new positions or promotions for people who are expanding their responsibilities or taking on new challenges.”
On the high of the brand new construction will probably be Mike McQuade, a 37-year ESPN veteran who has been named govt vp sports activities manufacturing, overseeing manufacturing and studio exhibits devoted to particular sports activities, whereas David Roberts will probably be govt vp and govt editor of sports activities information and leisure, which can embrace oversight of ESPN’s information operation, in addition to non-sport-specific programming like First Take, SportsCenter and The Pat McAfee Present.
Magnus wrote that going ahead his direct reviews will probably be Roberts, McQuade, Kaitee Daley, Freddy Rolón, Brian Lockhart, Chris Calcinari and Nick Parsons. He added that with the brand new construction, there will probably be layoffs, although he added that it’s going to additionally create new alternatives for workers.
“I understand how difficult change and shifts can be,” he wrote. “With this reorganization, we have set up the Content organization to best operate now and in the future, while creating opportunities for colleagues across the organization to grow and thrive. We will continue to tweak the structure to reflect the constant evolution of our business, and all of us should embrace change.”
The adjustments come at a essential second for ESPN, which is within the midst of planning a flagship streaming service for subsequent yr, and simply reduce a long-term cope with the NBA. Magnus wrote that the brand new construction mirrored conversations with almost 75 ESPN executives throughout ranges on the firm.
“Our Content team is the industry leader, and these moves will only enhance our strong position, further our mission of serving sports fans, anytime, anywhere, and continue our ability to drive value and results for The Walt Disney Company,” Magnus wrote.
You possibly can learn his full memo beneath.
Teammates – First, thanks all on your exhausting work this previous weekend – we’re in an extremely busy time of yr with the kickoff of our school soccer season, the US Open, LLWS, and a lot extra. We’ve had a tremendous 2024 to this point, and we proceed to achieve delivering excellent content material throughout platforms, hitting rankings highs regardless of trade challenges, whereas innovating for sports activities followers. You must all be pleased with our collective achievements.
Since Might, we’ve been engaged on a plan to restructure our division to enhance collaboration, centralize features, create higher alignment, and redeploy assets to areas of development – additional positioning our individuals to ship on ESPN’s priorities throughout quickly evolving occasions. To make sure we recognized the most effective construction potential, we engaged Disney’s organizational growth group to interview almost 75 ESPN stakeholders, and with their suggestions in hand, and after cautious deliberation, I’m happy to share our new construction.
With these strikes, I consider we will probably be extra strategic, collaborative and nimble, as we proceed to excel in each space and performance. We stay dedicated to worker growth, and the restructure will lead to new positions or promotions for people who find themselves increasing their obligations or taking up new challenges.
One key message heard loud and clear within the interviews was the advice that studio, manufacturing, and editorial features could possibly be higher aligned for effectiveness and creativity. Our Sports activities Manufacturing group, led by Mike McQuade, will embrace manufacturing, and studio exhibits which can be sport-specific, whereas our Sports activities Information & Leisure group, led by David Roberts, higher integrates and centralizes cross-platform editorial, information and protection, and contains non-sport particular studio exhibits (SportsCenter, First Take, Get Up, The Pat McAfee Present, ATH, PTI).
In taking up management of the brand new Sports activities Manufacturing group, Mike McQuade, a 37-year worker at ESPN, has been promoted to EVP. Most not too long ago, Mike was the producer for Tennis (Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open), NHL, Boxing, Golf (Masters & PGA Championship), and SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt – a program he helped create. Amongst his many successes, Mike not too long ago led our protection as producer of the breaking information of the arrest of Scottie Scheffler, an ideal instance of his means to shortly lead a group chargeable for essential content material with excellence. Along with his intensive manufacturing background, Mike is well-known for his storytelling means throughout platforms, progressive mindset, consideration to element and his tireless push to ship outcomes. He’s additionally a pacesetter who takes the time to mentor workers of all ranges. Mike will relocate to Bristol. Particulars about Mike’s new group and the construction of his group may be discovered beneath.
Subsequent, with our continued deal with increasing to succeed in new audiences and higher put together for our DTC future, one other robust advice was to streamline and centralize digital, social and streaming, enabling extra horizontal dialogue and technique throughout platforms, aligned beneath one chief – Kaitee Daley.
Moreover, to develop our international sports activities imprint, we’re bringing collectively our Worldwide Manufacturing group and our ESPN Deportes and Worldwide Editorial groups, together with Enterprise Operations for Worldwide, beneath one chief – Freddy Rolón.
Lastly, the SIG group is being divided into two purposeful areas – Analysis and ESPN Stats & Evaluation. Analysis is a key group that helps our storytelling features and higher aligns with the Information & Leisure group, led by Maria Soares, beneath David Roberts. Stats & Evaluation is essential to our digital technique and can transfer to the newly fashioned Digital, Social & Streaming Content group beneath Kaitee Daley, particularly beneath Nicole Pelaez-Dandrea.
With that mentioned, my direct reviews are David Roberts, Mike McQuade, Kaitee Daley, Freddy Rolón, Brian Lockhart, Chris Calcinari and Nick Parsons.
David Roberts, EVP, Government Editor, Sports activities Information & Leisure
David has completed phenomenal work with our NBA and WNBA properties and studio programming, and I thank him for the superb, regular development of every part related to each leagues and our day by day exhibits. David will now transition to supervise Sports activities Information and Leisure, and his direct reviews will probably be SVP Maria Soares (main our newly centralized Sports activities Information and Protection, together with Analysis and Digital Editorial), SVP Mike Foss (Sports activities Studio and Leisure, together with SportsCenter), and VP Chris Buckle (Investigative and Enterprise Journalism).
Reporting to Maria Soares: VP David Kraft (Newsgathering), VP Lauren Reynolds (Digital Editorial, Common Protection Group), Sr. Director Kristie Blasi (Analysis & Bottomline), VP Jack Obringer (Wraps, Gross sales, Integration, Editorial Graphics Producers) and Sr. Director Stacey Pressman (Expertise Producers).Reporting to Mike Foss: VP Pete McConville (7am SC, Get Up, First Take), newly promoted VP James Dunn (2p SC, ATH, PTI, weekend SC), VP Scott Clark (ESPN BET & Fantasy studio exhibits, ESPN BET Content Integration, 6p SC), VP Johann Castillo (Late Evening & LA SC, SVP, Screening, RISE), VP Julie McGlone (CCU, SCEU), and newly promoted VP Justin Craig (Digital Manufacturing, Podcasts, Audio). Mike Foss will proceed his function working immediately with The Pat McAfee Present.Reporting to Chris Buckle: Sr. Deputy Editor Mike Drago (Investigative Journalism), Coordinating Producer I Rayna Banks (Manufacturing), Government Director Scott Burton (Enterprise Journalism), newly promoted Sr. Director Eric Neel (Improvement) and Sr. Deputy Editor Jena Janovy (Enterprise and Investigative Journalism).
Mike McQuade, EVP, Sports activities Manufacturing Mike could have 4 direct reviews: SVP Mark Gross (Occasion and Studio for NFL, MNF & Tremendous Bowl, CFB, CFP, UFL, UFC, Boxing and Golf), a to be decided SVP (Occasion and Studio for NBA, WNBA, NHL, School Ice Hockey and Tennis), SVP Meg Aronowitz (Occasion and Studio for MLB, ACC, SEC, NCAA Girls’s and Males’s Basketball, Faculty Management Rooms, School Baseball, Professional and School Softball, Ladies and Boys Little League World Collection), and VP Kate Jackson (Wrestling, Volleyball, Gymnastics, Area Hockey, School and Professional Lacrosse, Particular Olympics, F1 and particular occasion productions such because the ESPYS).
Reporting to Mark Gross: VP Steve Ackels (MNF), VP Seth Markman (NFL and CFB studio exhibits), and a brand new VP Sports activities Manufacturing function for the Tremendous Bowl will probably be posted. As you realize, with our most up-to-date NFL settlement, ABC/ESPN joined the Tremendous Bowl rotation, with this excellent alternative starting with the 2026 season, on Feb. 14, 2027. This new VP place will allow us to completely focus our assets and efforts on creating one other defining second for this firm with our Tremendous Bowl. As well as, VP Amanda Gifford (CFB, CFP, UFL), VP Shawn Murphy (CFB, CFB Spring Video games, Boxing), and VP Glenn Jacobs (UFC) will report back to Mark. Whereas Golf will transfer to Mark Gross, Mike McQuade will proceed to cowl till a plan is in place.Till the brand new SVP is decided, the next colleagues will interim report back to Mike McQuade: VP Tim Corrigan (merging NBA and WNBA obligations), newly promoted VP Linda Schulz (NHL Studio and Occasion and School Ice Hockey), Coordinating Producer II Hilary Man, Coordinating Producer I Terrell Bouza, and a brand new VP Sports activities Manufacturing function for NBA and WNBA Studio exhibits that will probably be posted. Tennis will proceed to report back to Mike McQuade till a plan is in place.Reporting to Meg Aronowitz: VP David Ceisler (Girls’s and Males’s CBB, LLWS), VP Phil Orlins (MLB and Expertise), newly promoted VP Pete Watters (SECN), Coordinating Producer II Andy Inexperienced (Non-traditional Productions), Sr. Managing Producer Dan Kole (Faculty Management Room and Packager Companies), and a brand new VP Sports activities Manufacturing function for ACCN and NCAA Studio that will probably be posted.Reporting to Kate Jackson: Coordinating Producer I Erika Galbraith (Lacrosse, Volleyball), Coordinating Producer II Aaron Katzman (CBB GameDay, NBA Draft, school soccer, and seaside volleyball), and a Coordinating Producer I function to be posted.
Kaitee Daley, SVP, Digital, Social & Streaming Content
Kaitee’s strategic mindset main social has led to ESPN turning into one of the crucial profitable, progressive, and engaged manufacturers throughout social media. As we proceed our evolution because the preeminent digital sports activities platform, Kaitee will return to her digital media roots so as to add oversight of digital viewers engagement inclusive of ESPN cell apps, streaming, search engine optimisation, and Stats & Evaluation, led by VP Nicole Pelaez-Dandrea (ESPN Digital Viewers Engagement). VP Celia Bouza (Multi-Platform Video) will proceed to report back to Kaitee and add oversight of YouTube and digital video. Kaitee’s direct reviews additionally embrace Sr. Director Amanda Anderson (Social Operations and Viewers Growth) and Sr. Director Brett Edgerton (Social Sports activities and Partnerships), with Omar Raja persevering with his expertise and social strategist function. Further roles will probably be created within the following development areas: Digital Product Alignment, Direct-To-Shopper, and Social.
Reporting to Celia Bouza: Sr. Director Josh Barbarotta (Digital Video Content & Options), Sr. Director Jeremy Fitch (YouTube), and Sr. Director Max Kelley (Social Manufacturing & Inventive).Reporting to Nicole Pelaez-Dandrea: Sr. Director Nick Loucks (Cell Apps), Sr. Director Emily Schaible (search engine optimisation, Content Optimization), Sr. Director Patrick Caulfield (ESPN Stats & Evaluation), Director Erin Spraw (Viewers Engagement), and Sr. Director Dominic Ridgard (Streaming).Reporting to Amanda Anderson: Sr. Supervisor Lauren Giudice (Girls’s Sports activities, espnW, Social Referrals), Digital Video Producer II Justin Rockhold (Snapchat, Platform Improvement), Sr. Supervisor Arthur Kogan (Viewers Growth), and Sr. Supervisor Ann Drinkard (Social Operations).Reporting to Brett Edgerton: Director Annie Dunbar (Social School Sports activities), Director Nicole Williams (Social Professional Sports activities), and Supervisor Mike Powers (Social Sponsorship).
Freddy Rolón, Head of World Sports activities & Expertise Workplace
Freddy’s distinguished management at ESPN and within the trade is very regarded, and he’ll apply his experience in viewers growth and content material technique to advance a brand new division that unites our Manufacturing, Editorial, and Enterprise Operations groups centered on international sports activities. Freddy’s new function comes at an vital time, as beginning within the 2025-26 NBA season with our new settlement, Disney’s worldwide bundle of NBA and WNBA video games will probably be obtainable to stream on its digital platforms, together with on Disney+ in choose markets around the globe – Disney’s most important international sports activities growth. Freddy additionally assumes oversight of the Expertise Workplace, a significant operate which serves your entire group, and also will oversee ESPN NEXT, our phenomenal early-career program, serving to information its continued development via his distinctive perspective as a longtime mentor, advisor and chief. Reporting to Freddy are SVP Rodolfo Martinez (Worldwide and ESPN Deportes Manufacturing), VP Rosetta Ellis-Pilie (Expertise Improvement and Negotiations), VP Oscar Ramos (World Digital Editorial and ESPN Deportes) and newly promoted VP Stan Thomas (Cross-Platform Improvement & Enterprise Operations, centered on worldwide). Thanks to Celia Bouza for her stellar management of the NEXT program during the last 5 years. A Senior Director of ESPN NEXT will report back to Freddy and will probably be posted quickly.
Brian Lockhart, SVP, Authentic Content
Brian’s eager sense of high quality storytelling has strongly benefited our Authentic Content and Movies. Brian’s most up-to-date successes embrace ESPN+’s new authentic sequence, In The Area: Serena Williams, and a terrific summer time slate of 30 for 30s. Brian will proceed to supervise Authentic Content, Enterprise Affairs and Expertise Relations, and can add the award-winning Options group. His direct reviews embrace VP Marsha Cooke (ESPN Movies), newly promoted VP Lindsay Rovegno (ESPN Originals), VP Andy Tennant (E60, Content Integration), VP Craig Lazarus (Authentic Content and Options), VP Heather Anderson (Authentic Content and Enterprise Affairs), Sr. Director Chantre Camack (Expertise Relations), and Sr. Director Kati Fernandez (Authentic Content Improvement). Craig’s SCEU/CCU obligations, led by Julie McGlone, will shift to Mike Foss’s org with Julie reporting immediately into Mike. VP Jose Morales (Options) will proceed to report back to Craig. Chris Calcinari, SVP, Content Operations
Chris will proceed his management excellence with our Content Operations group, overseeing Studio and Distant Operations and taking up oversight of Studio & Occasion Directing beneath VP Scott Favalora’s remit. Scott will report on to Chris. Chris’s different direct reviews will stay the identical: VP Francis Legros (Studio Manufacturing Operations), Director Carlton Younger, Director Dennis Cleary, and Government Director John LaChance (all Distant Manufacturing Operations), Director Antwuan Dance (Crewing & Sources), Director Chris Robust (Manufacturing Operations Specialists), Director Dan Lannon (REMI Manufacturing Operations) and Director Kimberly Kanner (Manufacturing & Enterprise Operations). The function of this essential operate can’t be overstated – we rely on the expertise, dedication and 24/7 mentality of Content Operations to ship for followers.
Nick Parsons, VP, Content Enterprise Operations
Nick, who has been centered on strategic planning for the Content group and who will proceed to associate with Finance on all Content spending, provides a number of content-related administration operations and planning teams to his group, additional making certain strategic useful resource administration throughout Content. Reporting to Nick are VP Miranda Thorpe (Charlotte Workplace and Manufacturing Administration), VP Christie Dockman (Administration Operations) and Sr. Director Marissa Cucolo (Workplace of the President of Content and Content Enterprise Optimization). Nick will proceed to handle our relationship with Omaha Productions.
Every of my direct reviews will probably be reaching out to their groups over the following 24 hours to answer questions and additional clarify how their operate will function. As part of this reorganization, a couple of devoted colleagues will now not be with the corporate. With respect and admiration, I thank these colleagues for his or her dedication to ESPN and have communicated assets to assist help them through the transition.
I perceive how troublesome change and shifts may be. With this reorganization, we have now arrange the Content group to greatest function now and sooner or later, whereas creating alternatives for colleagues throughout the group to develop and thrive. We’ll proceed to tweak the construction to replicate the fixed evolution of our enterprise, and all of us ought to embrace change.
Our Content group is the trade chief, and these strikes will solely improve our robust place, additional our mission of serving sports activities followers, anytime, wherever, and proceed our means to drive worth and outcomes for The Walt Disney Firm.
Collectively – by supporting one another and collaborating throughout the group – we win as a group. I sit up for connecting with all of you quickly – a full Content City Corridor will probably be introduced within the coming weeks.
Thanks,Burke
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