ESPN Names Berson and Wildhack Executive Vice Presidents

Berson & Wildhack Promoted to Executive Vice President at ESPN David Berson and John Wildhack, who jointly oversee ESPN's programming department, have each been promoted to executive vice president. They will continue to report to John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president, content. Wildhack's new title is executive vice president, programming and acquisitions; he had been senior vice president, programming and acquisitions strategy since October 2005. Berson's new title is executive vice president, program planning and development; he had been senior vice president, program planning and development since October 2005.

Wildhack will continue to oversee all rights negotiations and league relationships for all ESPN domestic television networks and ESPN on ABC sports programming. In the past year, he has led ESPN through a number of successful major negotiations, solidifying the company's position in several significant sport categories and including the acquisition of an outstanding collection of multimedia rights. Long-term deals with the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, MLS, the Big Ten, Big East and Arena Football have secured ESPN's core event lineup well into the next decade.

With this promotion, Berson adds oversight of ESPN Original Entertainment, the division responsible for creating all of ESPN's original programming, plus the X Games and The ESPY Awards. He will continue to oversee all strategic program planning for ESPN and ABC sports programming, with direct responsibility for maximizing the company's wide array of event, studio and original programming. In 2006, his leadership was instrumental in ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPNEWS each recording record viewership