ESPN President John Skipper Resigns Over Substance Abuse

Skipper has served as ESPN’s president since 2012.

John Skipper
John Skipper, former ESPN President and Disney Media Networks Co-Chairman (David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)

John Skipper, who has served as ESPN’s president since 2012, has resigned to deal with substance addiction. In a statement, Skipper thanked Disney CEO Bob Iger for his understanding and asked for privacy as he works to improve his personal life. Iger has named George Bodenheimer, who was ESPN’s president from 1998 until 2011, interim president for the next 90 days. “I have great respect for John’s leadership, and I applaud the courage he’s demonstrating by addressing his challenges head on,” Bodenheimer said in a statement. Skipper’s resignation marks the end of a 20-year career with the sports giant.

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