“Jimmy doesn’t just see where the sports media landscape is heading — he actively shapes it.” 

— Bob Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Co. 
 

By R. Thomas Umstead

When Jimmy Pitaro took over as ESPN president in 2018, the once-unquestioned TV sports leader was struggling. The network, along with the rest of the cable industry, was losing subscribers to emerging streaming platforms while fighting off competitors bidding for rights to upcoming, high-profile live sports content such as the NBA, NFL and UFC.

Now, as ESPN chairman, Pitaro — a self-proclaimed sports aficionado and lifelong New York Yankees fan — has clearly secured ESPN’s position as the preeminent distributor of sports content in a very crowded marketplace. 

Under Pitaro’s tutelage, the network has reached new rights deals with the NFL, NBA, UFC, SEC and NHL, as well as the upstart UFL spring pro football league and the Wimbledon tennis tournament, while positioning the brand as the preeminent destination for sports fans across multiple platforms. 

“Jimmy Pitaro’s leadership has not only elevated ESPN but has also deepened the powerful partnership between ESPN and the NFL,” said Brian Rolapp, who was the league’s chief media and business officer until June, when he was named CEO of the PGA Tour. “His commitment to innovation and excellence continues to shape the future of sports media. But perhaps more importantly, Jimmy is a person of integrity and of the highest moral character.”

That’s high praise for Pitaro, who grew up in Westchester County, New York, believing he would be a professional sports star. “I thought I was going to be an athlete,” said Pitaro. “I played just about every sport as a kid and I dreamed of nothing but being a professional athlete when I was younger, but obviously that didn’t work out.”
 

“I went from a lawyer managing a few people to running one of the most successful businesses at the time.”

Pitaro played football at Cornell University, but after a series of injuries, he shifted his focus and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. Pitaro would go on to earn his law degree from St. John’s University School of Law in 1994 and, after practicing law for several years, would get his first taste of the business side of sports when he was named head of Yahoo Sports in 2006.

“That was really a defining moment in my life and my career,” he said. “I went from a lawyer managing a few people to running one of the most successful businesses at the time. I woke up every day saying, ‘We have to beat ESPN,’ and we did. Before too long, we were No. 1 in Comscore, in terms of digital reach in the sports category.” 

Yahoo tapped Pitaro to head up its media division in 2009, before Sheryl Sandberg, a director of The Walt Disney Co. and the wife of Pitaro’s mentor and former boss, Dave Goldberg, reached out to him about a potential opportunity. “Sheryl said [Disney] was unhappy with the Disney Digital leadership, so she asked me to meet with Bob Iger, and the rest is history,” Pitaro recalled.

After joining Disney Interactive as co-president in 2010 and then being named chairman of Disney’s consumer products and interactive media division in 2016, Iger would again tap Pitaro—this time to take over as ESPN president, replacing the departing John Skipper. 

Pitaro pointed to Iger as one of the most influential mentors in his career. “I’ve learned a ton from him: being optimistic even during tough times, to be decisive, to analyze and to debate, but ultimately, not to be afraid to make decisions,” he said. 

Iger, who will retire at the end of 2026, lauded Pitaro for his visionary leadership and relentless work ethic. “Jimmy doesn’t just see where the sports media landscape is heading — he actively shapes it,” he said. “Under his guidance, he has secured the most formidable portfolio of sports rights in the industry while positioning ESPN as the preeminent digital sports platform.”

Indeed, Pitaro’s ascension to ESPN president in 2018 and chairman in 2020 provided him with the opportunity to apply a visionary approach to the evolving television business. His dogged push to innovate and expand the brand will culminate later this year with the launch of ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service. For the first time, the $29.99 ESPN service will feature every linear channel on a digital platform, as well as 47,000 live events a year, including the NBA Finals, the College Football Playoff national championship game and the Stanley Cup Finals.

“What I wanted to do very quickly was to give clarity on our mission and our priorities,” he said. “If you rewind to my first few weeks on the job, our mission and priorities are still the same seven and a half years later—to serve the sports fan, audience expansion, quality storytelling and innovation. Even now, I don’t feel the need to change those.” 

Pitaro attributed his success at ESPN to the talented executives who work with him and who believe in his vision for the company’s future. Just this year, ESPN enjoyed its highest-rated second quarter in its 45-year history and has continued to successfully navigate through the massive disruption the television industry has endured.

“We’ve been able to grow our leadership position in the sports industry, expand our brand, grow our reach, engagement, digital, social and traditional linear ratings,” Pitaro said. “In this chaotic world, where we’re seeing massive disruption, we’ve been able to stay the course and grow.”