Disney Scrambles To Replace John Skipper At ESPN

John Skipper

John Skipper’s abrupt exit at ESPN on Monday set off a search by parent Disney to find a new leader for the struggling sport programmer, reports The NYPost.

The Bristol, Conn., media giant has a deep bench of talented senior executives, including Connor Schell, executive VP of content, and Justin Connolly, executive VP of affiliate sales and marketing — who sources fingered as the most likely in-house candidates for the top job.

Schell oversaw ESPN’s film division until put in charge of all programming in June — overseeing “O.J.: Made in America,” which won ESPN’s first Academy Award.

Connolly’s most recent promotion, also in June, made the executive the go-to guy for all pay-TV and digital platforms, with responsibilities to price and distribute all of ESPN’s content. He also knows the parent company well, having worked in its corporate finance group before jumping to ESPN in 2003.

Outsiders who might get the once-over include Michael Paull, who in February was installed as chief executive of BAMTech Media, sources said. As ESPN eyes a 2018 launch of an over-the-top product, Paull has great experience in that area.

Before joining BAMTech, Paull served as VP of digital video at Amazon.

Disney considers BAMTech so critical to its over-the-top future that it paid $1.6 billion in August to more than double its stake in the company, to 75 percent.

Kevin Mayer may seem too high- ranking as Disney’s senior executive VP and chief strategy officer, but may still end up on a short list, sources said.