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About George Bodenheimer
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George Bodenheimer
Executive Chairman of ESPN Inc.
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An ESPN and cable industry pioneer, George Bodenheimer, 53, is the company’s longest-tenured top executive and has led an unprecedented period of growth for ESPN. In 1998, he was named ESPN’s fifth president since the company’s launch in 1979. In 2011, he was named executive chairman of ESPN Inc. and ABC Sports and co-chair, Disney Media Networks.
Bodenheimer’s path to leadership mirrors that of ESPN itself - with his sharp focus on creativity and cutting-edge innovation, his emphasis on always enhancing value for ESPN’s fans and business partners, and his conviction for teamwork. In 2003, he was also appointed President of ABC Sports, overseeing all the multimedia sports assets of The Walt Disney Company, and in 2004 he assumed the role of co-chairman, Disney Media Networks, encompassing strategic planning for Disney’s media assets.
As executive chairman of ESPN, Inc., Bodenheimer leads one of the world’s premier brands with over 50 business entities and counting - including seven 24-hour domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPNU, ESPN 3D); 46 international television networks; ESPN3 (broadband); ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS and ESPNU HD simulcast services; ESPN Regional Television; ESPN.com; ESPN Radio; ESPN The Magazine and books; and other growing new businesses including ESPN Mobile (wireless), ESPNHS (high school) and espnW.
Under Bodenheimer’s leadership, ABC Sports has one of the broadcast industry’s most comprehensive sports programming schedules and contributes to ESPN offering more leading platforms than any other sports media entity. ESPN has acquired a collection of rights unparalleled in scope, including Monday Night Football, NBA, MLB, NASCAR, college football and the BCS, college basketball, The Masters, Premier League, golf’s British Open and tennis’ US Open and Wimbledon. These agreements and their unprecedented length underscore Bodenheimer’s focus on ESPN’s mission to serve sports fans.
Bodenheimer’s vision has led to numerous company and industry-leading innovations in integrated sales and marketing, original programming, rights and business acquisitions, and new technologies, highlighted by ESPN’s state-of-the-art Digital Center in Bristol, with a second under construction, a West Coast production facility in Los Angeles, an Innovation Lab in Orlando and, in conjunction with Disney, a Media and Ad Lab in Austin. He established an organizational structure with leaders focusing on six areas: content across all media, technology, international, sales and marketing, finance and administration.
Bodenheimer also elevated the company’s numerous corporate outreach initiatives, most notably with The V Foundation for Cancer Research, which was founded by ESPN and the late basketball coach and commentator Jim Valvano. The V Foundation has raised more than $100 million since 1993 and 100% of cash donations go directly to research.
Bodenheimer joined the company after college in January 1981 as a driver in the mailroom. He rose through the ranks becoming Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing in 1996. He was graduated from Denison University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. He is married with three children.
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