ESPN Content material Restructure Consists of Management Reorg, Job Cuts

At this time, ESPN president of content material Burke Magnus revealed a brand new restructure in a memo to staff, leading to management modifications in addition to job cuts.

With ESPN seeking to higher align its enterprise practices within the shifting TV and streaming panorama, Magnus famous that the corporate had been working since Could on a “plan to restructure our division to enhance collaboration, centralize capabilities, create higher alignment, and redeploy assets to areas of development.”

The reorg concerned conversations with almost 75 ESPN leaders in any respect ranges, based on Magnus.

“With these strikes, I consider we will likely be extra strategic, collaborative, and nimble, as we proceed to excel in each space and performance,” Magnus wrote. “We stay dedicated to worker growth, and the restructure will lead to new positions or promotions for people who find themselves increasing their duties or taking up new challenges.”

Among the many highlights, Mike McQuade will lead a brand new sports activities manufacturing workforce and has been promoted to evp, sports activities manufacturing. The 37-year ESPN worker has quite a few accomplishments, together with producing protection for tennis, NHL, boxing, golf, and SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, a program he helped create. McQuade’s new workforce can have oversight of manufacturing and studio exhibits which are sport-specific, and the exec will relocate to ESPN’s dwelling workplace in Bristol, Connecticut.

“Along with his in depth manufacturing background, Mike is well-known for his storytelling capacity throughout platforms, modern mindset, consideration to element, and his tireless push to ship outcomes,” Magnus mentioned.

Different management modifications embrace David Roberts main the sports activities information and leisure workforce, which is able to look to combine and centralize cross-platform editorial and information protection, together with non-sport-specific studio exhibits akin to SportsCenter, First Take, Get Up, The Pat McAfee present, and PTI.

As well as, the corporate will look to streamline and centralize digital, social, and streaming beneath Kaitee Daley; align its worldwide manufacturing workforce, ESPN Deportes and worldwide editorial groups, and enterprise operations for worldwide beneath Freddy Rolón; and divide its stats and data group into analysis and ESPN stats and evaluation.

In line with Magnus, analysis will help storytelling capabilities and higher aligns with the information and leisure group, led by Maria Soares, beneath David Roberts. In the meantime, stats and evaluation will likely be utilized for digital technique and transfer to the digital, social, and streaming content material workforce beneath Daley and particularly beneath Nicole Pelaez-Dandrea. 

Consolidation hits the TV business

The strikes have additionally resulted in “a couple of devoted colleagues” who gained’t proceed with the corporate, based on Magnus. Nevertheless, ESPN didn’t inform ADWEEK which staff have been exiting.

“I perceive how tough change and shifts may be,” Magnus mentioned within the memo. “With this reorganization, we have now arrange the content material 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 mirror the fixed evolution of our enterprise, and all of us ought to embrace change.”

With the strikes, ESPN joins the carousel of media firms trying to raised align their companies amid the continuing streaming wars.

For example, Paramount, which is within the midst of an ongoing merger with Skydance Media, just lately shuttered its Paramount Tv Studios division, transitioning all present PTVS and growth initiatives to CBS Studios. In the meantime, each Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery took write-downs within the billions as worth has eroded on their linear properties.

See the complete memo under:

Teammates –
  
First, thanks all in your exhausting work this previous weekend – we’re in an extremely busy time of 12 months with the kickoff of our school soccer season, the US Open, LLWS, and a lot extra. We’ve had an superb 2024 to this point, and we proceed to reach delivering excellent content material throughout platforms, hitting rankings highs regardless of business challenges, whereas innovating for sports activities followers. You need to all be happy with our collective achievements.
Since Could, we’ve been engaged on a plan to restructure our division to enhance collaboration, centralize capabilities, create higher alignment, and redeploy assets to areas of development – additional positioning our individuals to ship on ESPN’s priorities throughout quickly evolving instances. To make sure we recognized the very best construction potential, we engaged Disney’s organizational growth workforce 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 likely 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 duties or taking up new challenges.

One key message heard loud and clear within the interviews was the advice that studio, manufacturing, and editorial capabilities may very well be higher aligned for effectiveness and creativity. Our Sports activities Manufacturing workforce, led by Mike McQuade, will embrace manufacturing, and studio exhibits which are sport-specific, whereas our Sports activities Information & Leisure workforce, led by David Roberts, higher integrates and centralizes cross-platform editorial, information and protection, and consists of 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 workforce, Mike McQuade, a 37-year worker at ESPN, has been promoted to EVP. Most just lately, 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 just lately led our protection as producer of the breaking information of the arrest of Scottie Scheffler, an incredible instance of his capacity to shortly lead a workforce liable for essential content material with excellence. Along with his in depth manufacturing background, Mike is well-known for his storytelling capacity throughout platforms, modern mindset, consideration to element and his tireless push to ship outcomes. He’s additionally a pacesetter who takes the time to mentor staff of all ranges. Mike will relocate to Bristol. Particulars about Mike’s new workforce and the construction of his group may be discovered under.    

Subsequent, with our continued give attention to increasing to achieve new audiences and higher put together for our DTC future, one other robust suggestion 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 world sports activities imprint, we’re bringing collectively our Worldwide Manufacturing workforce 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 capabilities 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 material workforce beneath Kaitee Daley, particularly beneath Nicole Pelaez-Dandrea. 

With that mentioned, my direct experiences are David Roberts, Mike McQuade, Kaitee Daley, Freddy Rolón, Brian Lockhart, Chris Calcinari and Nick Parsons. 

David Roberts, EVP, Govt Editor, Sports activities Information & Leisure 

David has finished phenomenal work with our NBA and WNBA properties and studio programming, and I thank him for the superb, regular development of all the pieces related to each leagues and our each day exhibits. David will now transition to supervise Sports activities Information and Leisure, and his direct experiences will likely 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 material Integration, 6p SC), VP Johann Castillo (Late Night time & 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), Govt 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 can have 4 direct experiences: 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, Faculty Ice Hockey and Tennis), SVP Meg Aronowitz (Occasion and Studio for MLB, ACC, SEC, NCAA Ladies’s and Males’s Basketball, College Management Rooms, Faculty Baseball, Professional and Faculty Softball, Women and Boys Little League World Sequence), and VP Kate Jackson(Wrestling, Volleyball, Gymnastics, Discipline Hockey, Faculty 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 likely be posted. As , 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 totally 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 set, the next colleagues will interim report back to Mike McQuade: VP Tim Corrigan (merging NBA and WNBA duties), newly promoted VP Linda Schulz (NHL Studio and Occasion and Faculty 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 likely be posted. Tennis will proceed to report back to Mike McQuade till a plan is in place. 
• Reporting to Meg Aronowitz: VP David Ceisler (Ladies’s and Males’s CBB, LLWS), VP Phil Orlins (MLB and Know-how), newly promoted VP Pete Watters (SECN), Coordinating Producer II Andy Inexperienced (Non-traditional Productions), Sr. Managing Producer Dan Kole (College Management Room and Packager Providers), and a brand new VP Sports activities Manufacturing function for ACCN and NCAA Studio that will likely 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 seashore volleyball), and a Coordinating Producer I function to be posted.   

Kaitee Daley, SVP, Digital, Social & Streaming Content material

Kaitee’s strategic mindset main social has led to ESPN turning into one of the crucial profitable, modern, 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 cellular apps, streaming, search engine optimization, 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 experiences 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. Extra roles will likely be created within the following development areas: Digital Product Alignment, Direct-To-Client, and Social.

• Reporting to Celia Bouza: Sr. Director Josh Barbarotta (Digital Video Content material & Options), Sr. Director Jeremy Fitch (YouTube), and Sr. Director Max Kelley (Social Manufacturing & Artistic).
• Reporting to Nicole Pelaez-Dandrea: Sr. Director Nick Loucks (Cellular Apps), Sr. Director Emily Schaible (search engine optimization, Content material 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 (Ladies’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 Faculty Sports activities), Director Nicole Williams (Social Professional Sports activities), and Supervisor Mike Powers (Social Sponsorship).

Freddy Rolón, Head of International Sports activities & Expertise Workplace

Freddy’s distinguished management at ESPN and within the business is extremely regarded, and he’ll apply his experience in viewers enlargement and content material technique to advance a brand new division that unites our Manufacturing, Editorial, and Enterprise Operations groups centered on world 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 likely be obtainable to stream on its digital platforms, together with on Disney+ in choose markets all over the world – Disney’s most important world sports activities enlargement. Freddy additionally assumes oversight of the Expertise Workplace, a significant perform which serves all the group, and also will oversee ESPN NEXT, our phenomenal early-career program, serving to information its continued development by 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 (International 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 likely be posted quickly. 

Brian Lockhart, SVP, Authentic Content material  

Brian’s eager sense of high quality storytelling has strongly benefited our Authentic Content material 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 material, Enterprise Affairs and Expertise Relations, and can add the award-winning Options group. His direct experiences embrace VP Marsha Cooke (ESPN Movies), newly promoted VP Lindsay Rovegno (ESPN Originals), VP Andy Tennant (E60, Content material Integration), VP Craig Lazarus (Authentic Content material and Options), VP Heather Anderson (Authentic Content material and Enterprise Affairs), Sr. Director Chantre Camack (Expertise Relations), and Sr. Director Kati Fernandez (Authentic Content material Improvement). Craig’s SCEU/CCU duties, 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 material Operations 

Chris will proceed his management excellence with our Content material 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 experiences will stay the identical: VP Francis Legros(Studio Manufacturing Operations), Director Carlton Younger, Director Dennis Cleary, and Govt Director John LaChance (all Distant Manufacturing Operations), Director Antwuan Dance (Crewing & Sources), Director Chris Sturdy (Manufacturing Operations Specialists), Director Dan Lannon (REMI Manufacturing Operations) and Director Kimberly Kanner (Manufacturing & Enterprise Operations). The function of this essential perform can’t be overstated – we rely on the expertise, dedication and 24/7 mentality of Content material Operations to ship for followers. 

Nick Parsons, VP, Content material Enterprise Operations 

Nick, who has been centered on strategic planning for the Content material group and who will proceed to companion with Finance on all Content material spending, provides a number of content-related administration operations and planning teams to his workforce, additional making certain strategic useful resource administration throughout Content material. 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 material and Content material Enterprise Optimization). Nick will proceed to handle our relationship with Omaha Productions. 
Every of my direct experiences will likely be reaching out to their groups over the subsequent 24 hours to answer questions and additional clarify how their perform will function. 
 
As part of this reorganization, a couple of devoted colleagues will 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 throughout the transition. 

I perceive how tough change and shifts may be. With this reorganization, we have now arrange the Content material 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 mirror the fixed evolution of our enterprise, and all of us ought to embrace change. 

Our Content material workforce is the business chief, and these strikes will solely improve our robust place, additional our mission of serving sports activities followers, anytime, wherever, and proceed our capacity to drive worth and outcomes for The Walt Disney Firm. 

Collectively – by supporting one another and collaborating throughout the group – we win as a workforce. I look ahead to connecting with all of you quickly – a full Content material City Corridor will likely be introduced within the coming weeks.

Thanks, 
Burke