Davenport, Pastor to Lead Newly Aligned Divisions

ESPN Audio has reorganized its structure to more strongly focus on its efforts at both the network-wide and local levels, it was announced by Traug Keller, ESPN senior vice president, production business divisions.  ESPN Network Audio will continue to be led by Mo Davenport, senior vice president.  ESPN Local, which encompasses both the three owned and operated stations and the accompanying web sites, as well as ESPNDallas.com, will be overseen by Jim Pastor, senior vice president.  Both Davenport and Pastor will report to Keller. Keller and Davenport are based at ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. headquarters. Pastor will remain based in Chicago.

“We have identified two key areas – Network & Local Business – to align leaders with division priorities to provide better services and products for our fans,” said Keller.  “The successful partnership of our ESPN local websites and owned radio stations has helped our local business thrive.  Organizing by function will allow us to leverage individual and team strengths across the entire business.”

Pastor will oversee two areas – Local Revenue, led by John Cravens, vice president, currently the general manager of ESPN Radio Chicago; and Local Content, led by Scott McCarthy, vice president, currently the general manager of ESPN Radio Los Angeles.

Davenport, a 28-year ESPN veteran who has been in his current position seven years, will be responsible for three units – National Sales Revenue, which will continue to be led by Mike Connolly, vice president, who adds responsibility for affiliate sales; Audio Digital & Marketing Strategy, led by Tom Ricks, vice president (up to now vice president, business development, ESPNLocal.com, reporting to Pastor), and Network Content, a new group headed by Dave Roberts, vice president, who has served as general manager of ESPN Radio New York and will return to Connecticut where he formerly oversaw ESPNEWS.

The ESPN Deportes Radio segment will continue to report up through Lino Garcia, GM of ESPN Deportes.  Tim McCarthy, senior vice president, play-by-play and talent planning, will continue to be charged with overseeing that piece of the business.

About ESPN Audio

ESPN Radio, the country’s largest sports radio network, ESPN Deportes Radio, ESPNRadio.com, and ESPN Podcasts comprise ESPN Audio.

ESPN Radio, which launched January 1,1992, provides more than 9,000 hours of talk and event content annually, reaching 24 million listeners a week on 450 nationwide stations, including more than 360 full-time affiliates and clearance in the top 25 markets with owned and/or operated FM stations in New York and Dallas, AM signals in Chicago and Los Angeles. ESPN Radio programming is also available on Sirius XM and via digital distributors Slacker Radio and Tune In. ESPN Deportes Radio is the only all-sports Spanish radio network, and has 46 affiliates covering 72% of the Hispanic DMA with stations in the top 10 Hispanic markets, including owned and/or operated stations in New York and Dallas.

ESPNRadio.com is the most listened to live stream of any terrestrial broadcaster in the world — reaching more than 714,000 unique listeners per month who logged more than 95.3 million total listening hours in 2012, with 11.2 million session starts per month (source: Ando Media). ESPN Podcasts logged 188.8 million downloads in 2012 via the ESPN PodCenter and iTunes.

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