The Walt Disney Co. is handing promotions to George Bodenheimer and John Skipper, the two most senior executives at its Bristol sports programming subsidiary ESPN.
Bodenheimer, currently president of ESPN and ABC Sports, becomes executive chairman of ESPN, and Skipper, now executive vice president, moves up to president and co-chair of Disney Media Networks.
Both promotions are effective Jan. 1.
Disney CEO Robert Iger characterized the promotions as part of its overall strategic continuity and succession planning.
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Bodenheimer will continue to report to Iger. Skipper will have a dual report to Iger and Bodenheimer.
Bodenheimer has been ESPN president since 1998; Skipper has been the sports network’s content chief since 2005
