BREAKING: John Skipper Resigns as ESPN President; George Bodenheimer Takes Over Temporarily Skipper cites substance addiction' as reason for resigning; Bodenheimer will serve as acting chairman for 90 days By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Monday, December 18, 2017 - 11:24 am
Print This Story
Story Highlights
John Skipper resigned as president of ESPN and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks on Monday, ESPN has announced. Skipper cited a substance addiction as the reason for his resigning. George Bodenheimer, ESPN's president from 1998 to 2011 and its executive chairman until May 2014, will take over as acting chairman of the company for 90 days to help Disney Chairman/CEO Bob Iger find Skipper's replacement. The news comes just days after Skipper granted what turned out to be his final interview as ESPN president at The SVG Summit last week.
John Skipper (Photo: Joe Faraoni/ESPN)
Today, I have resigned from my duties as president of ESPN, he said in a statement. I have struggled for many years with a substance addiction. I have decided that the most important thing I can do right now is to take care of my problem. I have disclosed that decision to the company, and we mutually agreed that it was appropriate that I resign. I will always appreciate the human understanding and warmth that Bob displayed here and always. I come to this public disclosure with embarrassment, trepidation, and a feeling of having let others I care about down. As I deal with this issue and what it means to me and my family, I ask for appropriate privacy and a little understanding.
The news comes as a shock to many in the industry, especially given that Skipper had just signed a contract extension with Disney through 2021. He also hosted a wide-ranging, two-hour meeting with over 450 of the company's forward-facing talent last week to address ESPN's strategy in the current evolving media landscape.
I have had a wonderful career at the Walt Disney Company and am grateful for the many opportunities and friendships, he said. I owe a debt to many but most profoundly Michael Lynton, George Bodenheimer, and Bob Iger.
Skipper's departure arrives on the heels of Disney's newly announced deal to acquire the majority of 21st Century Fox's assets, a deal that will dramatically impact the future of ESPN's and Disney's sports-media footprint. The deal includes Fox's regional sports networks, as well as Sky's pan-European operations, Star India, and Tata Sky.
Bodenheimer Takes the Wheel in Short Term
Bodenheimer, 59, was named president of ESPN on Nov. 19, 1998, and continued in the job through the end of 2011. He was then the company's executive chairman after Skipper took over as president.
I have great respect for John's leadership, and I applaud the courage he's demonstrating by addressing his challenge head on, Bodenheimer said in a statement. The most important thing right now for John and his family is that he conquers his addiction, and the entire ESPN family is behind him. I've stayed in close contact with John, and I believe in the direction he's taking ESPN. He has assembled an outstanding leadership team - many of whom I know very well - and I am extremely confident we will work together effectively to move ESPN forward during this transition.
Bodenheimer was ESPN's longest-tenured president (13 years, 1998-Dec. 31, 2011) and oversaw all Disney multimedia sports assets from March 3, 2003 to Dec. 31, 2011, and was co-chairman, Disney Media Networks, from April 20, 2004 to Dec. 31, 2011.
Skipper's Legacy and Leadership
Skipper, 61, joined ESPN in 1997 as SVP/GM, ESPN The Magazine, and was named the network's president on Jan. 1, 2012. Previously, he had served as EVP, content.
To my colleagues at ESPN, it has been a privilege, Skipper said. I take great pride in your accomplishments and have complete confidence in your collective ability to continue ESPN's success.
He has led ESPN to a series of long-term, multiplatform agreements with major rightsholders (all through at least 2021), including NBA, Major League Baseball, the College Football Playoff, major college conferences, US Open tennis, and the Rose, Sugar, and Orange Bowls. He aggressively signed long-term affiliate agreements with cable and satellite providers and new entrants like Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, DirecTV NOW, and Hulu. The long-term, multiplatform agreements with major rightsholders (all through at least 2021) and distributors include:
Major League Baseball, the College Football Playoff, NBA, ACC, Big 12, US Open tennis, Rose, Sugar and Orange Bowls, WNBA
ESPN and the SEC announced a 20-year agreement to create and operate the ESPN SEC Network and digital platforms, while extending the existing media-rights agreement through 2034.
In 2016, ESPN and the ACC announced a 20-year agreement to launch the ACC Network, across linear and digital platforms. ESPN's rights agreement with the ACC was extended until 2036.
Agreements across all major nationwide distributors, both traditional - Altice USA (formerly Cablevision and Suddenlink), AT&T and DirecTV, Comcast Xfinity TV, Cox, Dish, Google Fiber, Mediacom, Midcontinent Communications, NCTC, NRTC, NTTC, Spectrum (formerly Charter, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks), Verizon FiOS TV - and digital (Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, DirecTV NOW, and Hulu).
Skipper has also weathered a variety of storms at ESPN in recent years, with the network losing subscribers to rampant cable cord-cutting and looking to shift its focus to digital content and programming. He has overseen multiple rounds of layoffs over the past two years, including 150 job cuts just weeks ago.
Said Iger in a statement, I join John Skipper's many friends and colleagues across the company in wishing him wel
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
Latino Film Institute Fellows Screen Their Short Films at the Egyptian Theatre
The Inclusion Fellowship and Spark Animation Grant uplifts 15 ...
29/05/2026
GLOOKAST LAUNCHES CINNAFILM TACHYON PLUGIN FOR MEDIA PRODUCER AND MEDIA SERVICES
This release first appeared here.
Visit our Tachyon product page or contact...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...
BREAKING: John Skipper Resigns as ESPN President; George Bodenheimer Takes Over Temporarily Skipper cites substance addiction' as reason for resigning; Bodenheimer will serve as acting chairman for 90 days By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
