Posted on 12/18/2017 10:44:35 AM PST by nickcarraway
John Skipper has resigned from his top position at ESPN and co-chairmanship of the Disney Media Networks. Skipper had recently signed a contract extending his leadership to 2021.
"Today I have resigned from my duties as President of ESPN," Skipper said in a statement released on Monday. "I have had a wonderful career at the Walt Disney Company and am grateful for the many opportunities and friendships."
"I have struggled for many years with a substance addiction. I have decided that the most important thing I can do right now is to take care of my problem," he said.
George Bodenheimer, Skipper's predecessor at ESPN who was president from 1998-2011, will take over as the acting chairman of the company for the next 90 days.
"I've stayed in close contact with John, and I believe in the direction he's taking ESPN," said Bodenheimer. "He's assembled an outstanding leadership team – many of whom I know very well – and I am extremely confident we will work together effectively to move ESPN forward during this transition."
The company made news earlier this year after SportsCenter anchor Jemele Hill called President Donald Trump a "white supremacist" in a tweet. Trump responded to the comment on Twitter, calling on ESPN to "apologize for untruth" and claiming the network "is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers."
As NPR's Domenico Montanaro reported, there's evidence that ESPN is not losing subscribers because of its politics.
What was his addiction, women?
A Woman of Substance.
Or perhaps, a “Substantial” Woman?
Liberal Kool-aid is highly addictive.
see we were right, thinking whoever was running EPSN must be on drugs...
Well that explains a lot...
Substance addiction would explain a lot about what’s been happening at ESPN.
Cokehead.
Obviously, he is addicted to Obama’s gray mulatto beaver.
Not a big fan of the guy, but it sure is sad to watch a person with a lot going for them, destroy themselves with substance abuse. Talk about an unforced error...
I'll drink to that!
before he ODs on Obama ?
Yet another LIB loser bites the dust...
Hahaha.
Barbara Taylor Bradford on line one.
Addicted to liberalism.
The only explanation why he’d embrace a business model of hiring SJWs that hate most of his viewers and then fire the “talent” that doesn’t embrace the group think.
Obama is available.
One suspects that Mister Skipper's "issue" is not an isolated one within the once great and now crumbling ESPN.
What was his addiction, women?
He’s a Democrat so interns would be my guess. He had tremendous power in that job. Nearly all women starting out and wanting a career in entertainment sports broadcasting would have been receptive to his advances.
If I’m on the Disney board I am duty bound to protect the shareholders by asking if this information was unknown during the last round of contract talks ie Skipper re-upped recently. I am also duty bound to ask if Skipper will be compensated, how much and for how long if he voluntarily steps down but especially for medical issues. In other words, he may have a clinical problem but blaming addiction may keep him (more) in the money.
Holy cripes Jack Dorsey of Twitter infamy is on the Disney board! He couldn’t lead a robber to a bank.
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