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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 19 december 2017
ESPN chief Skipper resigns, cites substance abuse problem

By DAVID BAUDER closure with embarrass- Group Summit. He told the
AP Media Writer ment, trepidation and a group of industry experts
NEW YORK (AP) — John feeling of having let oth- that ESPN’s growing digital
Skipper, president of the ers I care about down,” he audience is making up for
sprawling ESPN sports net- said. the loss of television view-
work, said Monday that he “As I deal with this issue ers.
is resigning to treat a sub- and what it means to me He also called hundreds
stance abuse problem. and my family, I ask for ap- of ESPN’s on-air talent to a
Skipper’s sudden an- propriate privacy and a summit last week at com-
nouncement will force the little understanding.” pany headquarters in Bris-
Walt Disney Co.-owned The sports network said tol, Connecticut, to talk
network to search for new Skipper’s predecessor, about the business. ESPN
leadership at a time of re- George Bodenheimer, has has laid off personnel this
trenchment, with the com- agreed to serve as acting year to deal with new eco-
pany losing subscribers head of the company for nomic realities.
due to cord-cutters and the next 90 days. Disney’s proposed pur-
working to boost its digital Disney Co. chief executive chase of several of 21st
output to follow the migra- Robert Iger said he wishes Century Fox’s assets, if ap- In this July 21, 2016 file photo, ESPN president John Skipper
tion of young sports fans to Skipper well during a chal- proved, is likely to add the gestures as he talks about the new ACC/ESPN Network during
their smartphones. lenging time. “I respect his 22 Fox-owned regional a news conference at the Atlantic Coast Conference Football
The 61-year-old executive, candor and support his de- sports networks to ESPN’s Kickoff in Charlotte, N.C.
who has worked at ESPN cision to focus on his health portfolio. Associated Press
since 1997 and has led the and his family,” Iger said. ESPN is also not escap- several current and former suspended earlier this year
company since 2012, said There was no public indi- ing the current focus on employees describing a for violating the network’s
he’s struggled for many cation that this was com- sexual misconduct. ESPN “locker room culture” at social media policy. Hill
years with substance ad- ing. Earlier this year, Skip- quickly canceled a show the network that is hostile had criticized President
diction but gave no details per signed a contract earlier this year produced to women. Donald Trump and Dal-
of his specific problem. He extension to keep him at in partnership with Barstool Skipper received public las Cowboys owner Jerry
said he had concluded ESPN through 2021 and Sports after some questions support online from sev- Jones in tweets.
that now is the time to deal last week spoke about the were raised about con- eral media figures, among “John Skipper is one of
with it. company’s plans in New tent, and the Boston Globe them ESPN’s anchor Je- the finest people I’ve ever
“I come to this public dis- York at the Sports Video reported last week about mele Hill — who Skipper worked for,” Hill tweeted.q