CBS Sports, an arm of the major US network owned by media giant Paramount, has announced its chairman, Sean McManus, will be retiring next year after 27 years at the company.
McManus will be succeeded by David Berson, the president of CBS Sports for the past decade, who will become the company’s president and chief executive.
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McManus, who led CBS News from 2005 to 2010, joined CBS Sports as president in 1996. He was a key player in bringing American football’s NFL back to the network in 1998. He also oversaw the broadcaster securing rights with college sports' NCAA, Big Ten, and Southeastern Conference, as well as golf’s PGA Tour, PGA of America and Masters, and pan-European soccer’s UEFA.
CBS is due to air its 22nd Super Bowl on February 11, 2024, from Las Vegas.
McManus said: “Leading CBS Sports has been an honor and I have been so fortunate to work with the most talented team in sports media, along with our incredible partners, for nearly three decades. It has been a fantastic run and the thrill of a lifetime.
“I am pleased to leave CBS Sports in an even stronger place than when I arrived, knowing that all of our marquee properties are locked up through this decade and beyond.
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By GlobalData“The future at CBS Sports is in the extremely capable hands of David Berson, who will seamlessly succeed me, as we planned. He is an outstanding leader and strategist, with knowledge and experience across all facets of the business, and has established excellent relationships with our partners and across our team.”
Berson, meanwhile, joined CBS in 2011 after spending 16 years at sports broadcaster ESPN. He became president of CBS Sports in 2013 where he leads the division’s broadcast, cable, and streaming assets.
McManus is the second chairman of a US sports broadcaster to announce his departure in 2024 after NBC Sports chairman Pete Bevacqua announced he is stepping down to become the athletic director of Notre Dame University next year.
Bevacqua will be replaced by Rick Cordella, who will become president of NBC Sports.
CBS president and chief executive George Cheeks said: “Sean is a first-ballot, hall-of-fame executive who has masterfully managed all aspects of CBS Sports for 27 years and helped guide us through a transformative era in sports television. His achievements here and the culture of excellence he established for CBS Sports — on screen and off — will benefit CBS and Paramount Global long into the future.
“David is a brilliant, innovative, and passionate leader with deep knowledge and relationships in all areas of our business. He is highly respected across the industry by his peers, our partners, and within CBS Sports and Paramount Global. Sean and David’s excellent partnership over the past decade has positioned CBS Sports for this smooth transition. David is the ideal executive to lead the next chapter of this proud and storied division.”
