ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro

Episode 216 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with Jimmy Pitaro, the Chairman and top executive at ESPN. In this podcast, Pitaro discusses his interest in extending media rights deals with the NBA and Formula One — and why that’s important to his company; how he views ESPN’s current relationship with the NFL and why getting into the Super Bowl rotation matters beyond viewership and finances; breaking down ESPN’s recent NFL rights deal; ESPN’s definitive interest in the Big Ten Conference rights; how ESPN’s SEC deal impacts inventory when it comes to interest in the Big Ten and Pac-12’s upcoming inventory; the intersection of sports and politics and sports and culture at ESPN and how he views that with regard to ESPN employees; the odds the NBA takes some of its premiere content and sells it exclusively to an online outlet; how ESPN views opportunity in the sports gambling space; why ESPN’s viewers want and expect ESPN to be in the sports gambling space; his family’s obsession with the Yankees and love of baseball; running parallel paths of a linear television business and ESPN’s direct-to-consumer business; ESPN unequivocally wanting back in World Cup rights; whether someone in his position should be part of talent negotiations; how many emails gets a day; and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and more.