ESPN announced on Monday the selection of James Pitaro as their new president.
In a prepared press release, the sports network detailed Pitaro’s experience and what they expect him to bring to the network.
“Jimmy is a talented and dedicated leader with the right strategic vision, relentless drive and passion for sports required to lead the stellar ESPN team at this incredibly dynamic time,” Mr. Iger said. “Jimmy forged his career at the intersection of technology, sports, and media, and his vast experience and keen perspective will be invaluable in taking ESPN into the future. I also want to extend my utmost thanks to George Bodenheimer for serving as Acting Chair of ESPN these past few months; he is a true industry pioneer and helped make ESPN the undisputed leader in sports.” Mr. Bodenheimer will stay on through the end of the year as a consultant.Jimmy Pitaro was tapped as president of ESPN on Monday, a position created after John Skipper’s unexpected resignation late last year.
Pitaro assumes the role following the resignation of John Skipper who cited substance-addiction issues as the reason for his departure. As President, Pitaro is expected to lead the charge of ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service ESPN+.