ESPN is in the midst of complying with layoffs mandated by The Walt Disney Company in an effort to slash $5.5 billion in operating costs, but is also going through the process of reassigning several key executives at the top of the company. Norby Williamson, the company’s Executive Editor and Head of Event and Studio Production, will now be overseeing NFL broadcasts and studio coverage. The responsibilities previously belonged to Stephanie Druley; however, her focus will be shifting at the company.
Earlier today, an internal memo was shared with ESPN employees divulging that Laura Gentile, executive vice president of marketing, will be leaving the business in October. Gentile is not part of the layoffs taking place at the company, and she will be replaced by Tina Thornton, current executive vice president of creative studio and marketing. Gentile was an integral part in organizing the espnW Summit and building the content brand.
In a different internal memo, ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus shared changes being made to the executive team at the company in an effort to continue producing informative and entertaining content and innovating around its live game broadcasts.
“Since assuming my new role in March, I have spent a significant amount of time contemplating how we can more efficiently manage our large, highly complex group, and be even more strategic, collaborative and successful,” Magnus said in the internal memo.
Dave Roberts, ESPN head of event and studio production, will oversee all college sports for the network excluding baseball and football and will duly be promoted. Mike Foss will continue reporting to Roberts, who will also add Meg Aronowitz, Kate Jackson, Ed Placey and Mike Shiffman to his leadership team at ESPN. Roberts will also oversee the impending production of The Pat McAfee Show, which is set to join the regular programming lineup this fall.
Williamson will continue to oversee SportsCenter and the company’s MLB and NHL properties in addition to other sports. Craig Lazarus, who is in charge of features, SCEU and CCU content for the network, will join Williamson’s team while the rest of it will stay the same.
In addition, ESPN Vice President of Content Strategy and Audio, Amanda Gifford, will manage all audio and radio properties for the company excluding podcasts. She will also expand oversight on the television side by having oversight on the universal coverage and talent groups and overall content strategy.
Rosalyn Durant, who recently returned to the network as the executive vice president of programming and acquisitions, sent out an additional internal memo with the changes in an effort to “streamline the responsibilities of programming leadership.” In the memo, she revealed that John Lasker has been promoted to senior vice president of ESPN+ and Nick Dawson to senior vice president of college sports programming and acquisitions. Lasker assumes the position previously held by Russell Wolff, a victim of a recent round of ESPN layoffs. Durant will be responsible for overseeing all of college sports, marking the first time the responsibility is garnered upon one executive.
The network also announced that Tim Bunnell will once again be the head of international programming – a role he held for 17 years before oversight was granted to Magnus. Bunnell will be maintaining and overseeing broadcasts for golf, soccer, tennis, Formula 1, racing and the network’s international sports channels. He was previously responsible for baseball, but the role has been handed off to Julie Sobieski, who will also be central to NHL coverage in addition to her duties with NFL, NBA, WNBA and combat sports programming. Lastly, Ilan Ben-Hanan will be the new head of programming strategy, an elevated position from his role as senior vice president of programming and content strategy he had held since February 2020.
Other moves at the company include Freddy Rolón assuming a new role as the head of digital content and audience expansion. Moreover, Kaitee Daley will now work as the vice president of social media for content optimization at ESPN Next.
This is a developing story. More information will be added as it is learned.
