Ex-espn President Skipper Joins Perform Group

08 May 2018 | tshego

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Perform Group, the sports media company based in the UK, has announced the appointment of John Skipper as executive chairman.

The appointment comes five months after Skipper stepped down from his role as president of ESPN, where he worked for 20 years, citing a substance abuse issue.

He will be based in New York and oversee all of Perform Group’s operations and strategy, reporting to the board. Perform Group’s founder, Simon Denyer, will continue as CEO based in London.

In a statement, Perform said that the announcement ‘reflects Perform Group’s strategy for global expansion across all divisions.’

Skipper said of the appointment: “Simon and his team have built an enormously impressive company, providing an excellent base to establish a global leadership position in the over-the-top sports subscription business, the clear future of sports delivery.

“Perform Group’s platform and expertise, coupled with its success in launching subscription services in Germany, Japan and Canada provides a model we intend to replicate around the world.”

Denyer added: “Perform is rapidly expanding its role in sports media with significant investments in the best content and our own platform. We are now preparing to push forward with the expansion of DAZN, our live and on-demand streaming service, in more major markets around the world.

“DAZN is revolutionizing how fans watch their favorite sports. John is one of the most significant leaders in the history of our industry, and I am delighted that he has agreed to join me and the team to help take Perform to the next level of our ambitions.”

“Since our initial investment ten years ago, Perform has become one of the most important brands in the sports media industry and a key holding in the Access portfolio,” said Len Blavatnik, chairman, Access Industries, and Perform Group’s majority shareholder. “John’s addition to the team and Board will help the company continue its impressive progress.”