EVP Sales and Marketing Sean Bratches to bid ESPN farewell at the end of 2015

ESPN’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Sean Bratches will leave the company at the end of 2015 after 27 years. His vision and leadership have been instrumental to ESPN’s success. Below is an internal memo from President John Skipper to ESPN employees as well as Sean’s memo to his team.

From ESPN President, John Skipper to ESPN employees:

One of the most influential leaders in ESPN’s history, Sean Bratches, will leave the company at the end of this year.

After 27 incredibly successful years at ESPN and a career defined by always being one step ahead in a dynamic and growing industry, Sean has decided to pursue new challenges, an understandable goal for someone with his vision, business savvy and relentlessly positive impact on people.

We all have greatly appreciated – and benefited from – Sean’s energy, integrity and service to ESPN, our employees and our industry. I personally have tremendous respect and admiration for what Sean has accomplished, and I am happy to report that he will serve the company in an advisory capacity through the end of the year.

He will certainly be missed. His leadership and accomplishments are unmistakably aligned with the company’s rise to the top – and through his efforts we have a wealth of executives at ESPN well-qualified to keep us moving forward.

Attached you will find the press release we are issuing today.

Please join me in congratulating Sean on a remarkable run at ESPN, and in wishing him continued success.

John

From ESPN EVP Sales and Marketing, Sean Bratches to his team:

well…it’s been one heck of a run…and ride…27 years…countless victories…perhaps a few misses…but we learned from every one…and are better for them…there is no more innovative…inventive…creative…and collaborative company in the media business — perhaps on the planet — than espn…but as I reflect on 27 years it is the people I remember…the faces and personalities that helped shape and launch defining products and built businesses that have led this industry since our inception…

my team – each and every one of you – is performing at the highest levels…the entire sales and marketing team…and every group that comprises it…has never been in better shape…this rings true from the leadership team to those who just concluded rookie camp…It’s a group that is respected across espn and throughout the industry…

we have led through hard work…creative deal making…innovation…and adroit problem solving that has positioned the company from a revenue and brand perspective to thrive well into the future…take pride in that…I do…

we’ve secured long-term distribution agreements that will keep us on track for many years to come…as well as opened new frontiers for fans to engage our networks and products and position us on the bleeding edge of the industry and fan preferences…we lead the advertising sales marketplace with innovative ideas that drive our clients’ businesses like no others across myriad screens and platforms…our marketing continues to produce content that engages fans and builds and strengthens our brand…our research leads the industry in revolutionary measurement systems that are setting the digital measurement template for years to come…and is light years ahead of everyone else…and our business operations efforts are the hallmark of the industry and enhance our competitive position in the marketplaces in which we conduct business…

It is with all of this in mind…and all the success that we’ve had…that the time feels right to me to pursue my next adventure…

I will miss the place…my home for over a quarter century…but it is the people I’ve met along the way who have left an indelible mark…espn at its heart is about people…and the most important thing I was a part of…I implore you to do everything you can to preserve and foster the great culture that we have collectively built here…
for all we’ve achieved together…I salute you…for what you achieve in the future…I’ll be watching…and cheering you on…

as winston churchill once said…”deserve victory…”

thank you all for a spectacular ride…your number one fan…

respectfully…sean r.h. bratches