Senior Director: Sports Rights & Programming Strategy

The Walt Disney Company; Bristol (CT); On-site; USD 188,000 - 252,000; Full time

Job summary

ESPN is seeking a Sr Director, Programming Business Affairs to lead all aspects of sports rights acquisition, licensing, contract administration, and rights management across ESPN and The Walt Disney Company. This executive partners with Programming, Legal, Ad Sales, Distribution, DTC, and Finance to negotiate major rights and ensure contractual compliance while maximizing content value across platforms.

The role requires deep knowledge of the evolving sports media landscape, rights economics,

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in sports media, programming, business affairs, or a related field.
• Significant experience negotiating and managing complex media rights agreements, licensing arrangements, and strategic partnerships.
• Proven track record leading cross‑functional initiatives involving senior stakeholders across programming, distribution, advertising, legal, and business operations.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including a track record of developing, coaching, and leading high‑performing teams.
• Strong understanding of the sports media ecosystem, including linear television, streaming, digital platforms, affiliate distribution, and evolving content consumption trends.
• Excellent executive communication, negotiation, presentation, and relationship management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and complex projects in a deadline‑driven environment.
• Strong commercial acumen, analytical capabilities, and decision‑making skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic preparation for major media rights renewals by organizing historical agreements, evaluating contractual obligations, identifying business opportunities, and coordinating enterprise‑wide negotiation readiness.
• Lead and support negotiations for high‑profile sports rights agreements, renewals, amendments, and strategic partnerships.
• Partner closely with senior Programming, Legal, Distribution, Ad Sales, Direct‑to‑Consumer, and Business Development leaders to maximize the value and flexibility of acquired rights.
• Evaluate new rights opportunities and emerging market trends, developing recommendations that support ESPN and TWDC's broader content strategy.
• Serve as a trusted advisor during complex negotiations, balancing business objectives, contractual protections, and partner relationships.
• Act as the central point of contact for league partners and rights holders on all business affairs matters.
• Provide strategic guidance and risk assessment on contractual issues, identifying solutions that align with both business priorities and legal requirements.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to develop scalable processes, governance structures, and best practices that support business growth and operational efficiency.
• Ensure alignment between contractual obligations and evolving distribution, monetization, and content strategies across the enterprise.
• Lead the Content Rights Management function, ensuring accurate interpretation, documentation, and administration of contractual rights across multiple platforms and businesses.
• Oversee the creation and maintenance of rights summaries, contract analyses, reporting frameworks, and compliance processes.
• Establish and maintain enterprise‑wide standards, systems, and procedures that ensure contractual obligations are fulfilled, rights are fully leveraged, and cross‑functional business initiatives remain compliant across ESPN and TWDC.
• Identify opportunities to optimize content utilization and unlock additional value from existing rights portfolios.
• Partner with Programming leadership, including senior executives responsible for content strategy, to support long‑term content planning and rights portfolio management.
• Work closely with Disney Platform Distribution, Disney Advertising Sales, ESPN Direct‑to‑Consumer, Finance, Strategy, and Legal teams to ensure coordinated execution of enterprise priorities.
• Build strong internal alignment around key rights decisions and associated business implications.
• Understand affiliate, distribution, and platform‑specific considerations and identify opportunities to expand audience reach and revenue generation.

Skills

Leadership

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Executive communication

Project management

Analytical skills

Relationship management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Juris Doctor (JD)

MBA

Job description

ESPN is seeking a Sr Director, Programming Business Affairs to lead all aspects of sports rights acquisition, licensing, contract administration, and rights management across ESPN and The Walt Disney Company. This executive partners with Programming, Legal, Ad Sales, Distribution, DTC, and Finance to negotiate major rights and ensure contractual compliance while maximizing content value across platforms.

The role requires deep knowledge of the evolving sports media landscape, rights economics,