SVP Sports Studio & Entertainment

Senior Vice President, Sports Studio & Entertainment

At ESPN, we serve sports fans anytime, anywhere through industry-leading content, storytelling, and experiences across linear, digital, social, streaming, audio, and emerging platforms. As part of The Walt Disney Company, ESPN continues to evolve the future of sports media through innovation, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to serving fans around the world. Our culture is rooted in collaboration, curiosity, creativity, and excellence — empowering teams to push boundaries, elevate storytelling, and create meaningful connections through sports. The Senior Vice President, Sports Studio & Entertainment will lead the strategic vision, editorial direction, and operational execution across ESPN's studio programming, digital production, podcasts, and audio portfolio. This executive will shape how ESPN connects with fans through premium storytelling, innovative content experiences, and industry-leading talent across every platform. As a key member of ESPN's executive leadership team, the SVP will partner closely across content, programming, talent, digital, social, marketing, operations, and technology to drive audience growth, deepen engagement, and strengthen ESPN's leadership in sports media. This leader will balance creative excellence with operational rigor — driving innovation, developing high-performing teams, and evolving ESPN's multiplatform content strategy to meet the changing behaviors of sports fans.

What You'll Do

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Set the long-term vision and content strategy for ESPN's studio shows, digital production, podcasts, and audio platforms.
• Lead large-scale, cross-functional organizations with a focus on editorial excellence, innovation, collaboration, and audience impact.
• Serve as a key strategic advisor and thought partner to ESPN executive leadership on the future of sports storytelling, fan engagement, and content consumption trends.
• Drive alignment across platforms to ensure cohesive and scalable audience strategies.

Editorial & Content Leadership

• Oversee the editorial strategy, creative direction, and production execution of ESPN's studio and entertainment portfolio, ensuring industry-leading storytelling and production quality.
• Partner closely with ESPN's news, investigative, and live event organizations to strengthen editorial collaboration and uphold the highest journalistic standards.
• Lead the evolution of multiplatform content formats by integrating audience insights, emerging trends, and innovative technologies to modernize storytelling and fan engagement.
• Champion innovation, including the thoughtful integration of AI, automation, audience analytics, and emerging production technologies to enhance content creation and operational efficiency.

Talent Leadership & Team Development

• Direct the strategy, development, and performance management of on-air talent across studio, digital, podcast, and audio platforms.
• Partner with the Talent Office, Programming, and Production leaders to identify, develop, and elevate next-generation talent and personalities.
• Build, lead, and develop high-performing creative teams while fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture.

Operational Excellence

• Lead complex production operations, including budgeting, staffing, workforce planning, scheduling, and resource allocation across multiple business units and platforms.
• Drive operational efficiency while maintaining creative excellence and supporting business growth priorities.
• Build scalable workflows and modern production practices that improve speed, flexibility, collaboration, and execution across teams.
• Leverage audience analytics, data insights, and performance metrics to inform programming, content strategy, and operational decision-making.

Partnership & Influence

• Collaborate closely with senior leadership, leagues, distribution partners, and key stakeholders to expand audience reach, strengthen brand impact, and support business growth objectives.
• Foster strong cross-functional relationships across production, programming, digital, social, technology, marketing, and communications organizations.
• Lead and influence effectively within a highly matrixed, fast-paced organization.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience in sports media, studio production, digital media, entertainment, or related content organizations, including significant executive leadership experience.
• Proven success leading large, complex creative and operational organizations within a fast-paced, multiplatform environment.
• Deep understanding of sports media, audience behaviors, multiplatform distribution strategies, and evolving digital consumption trends.
• Strong track record of balancing creative excellence with operational rigor, business priorities, and audience growth objectives.
• Experience managing large-scale production operations, including budgeting, staffing, workforce planning, and organizational leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to develop on-air talent, build high-performing teams, and foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture.
• Strategic, innovative, and future-focused mindset with experience driving transformation, operational evolution, and modern content strategies.
• Experience leveraging audience analytics, performance metrics, emerging technologies, and AI-driven insights to inform content and business strategy.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence effectively across highly matrixed organizations and executive leadership teams.

Required Education:

• Bachelor's Degree

The hiring range for this position in Bristol, CT is $345,900.00 to $463,900.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

About ESPN:

Working at ESPN is unlike anything else. That's because we're always finding new ways to interact with fans – however and wherever they connect with sports. Every day we're doing things that no one has done, all in a dynamic culture where we defy odds and continuously outdo ourselves. When you have the latest technology, game-changing ideas and world-class talent on your team, every day is extraordinary.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney's stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with ESPN Productions, Inc, which is part of a business we call ESPN.

ESPN Productions, Inc is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

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