Yesterday, CEO Bob Iger announced a restructuring for The Walt Disney Company that will see ESPN serve as its own entity. With the changes, ESPN’s Jimmy Pitaro has earned a new title.
Pitaro will serve as the Chairman of ESPN. He will be responsible for the network’s advertising sales, affiliate sales, and international groups.
Pitaro will oversee all “sports content, products, and experiences across all of Disney’s platforms worldwide, including its international sports channels”. That encompasses the entire ESPN brand, including television, radio/podcasts, digital, social media, and fantasy sports.
Disney will now be three separate divisions, with Disney Entertainment led by Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products operated by Josh D’Amaro, and ESPN will continue under the tutelage of Pitaro.
The news of a new title for Pitaro comes on the heels of discussion from Iger that in no uncertain terms reveals ESPN is not currently for sale or at risk of being spun off shortly.
“We are not engaged in any discussions right now, or considering a spinoff of ESPN,” Iger said. “That had been done — by the way, in my absence — and I’m told … after exploring it very thoroughly, that it wasn’t something the company wanted to do.”
