• August 6, 2004

ESPN said that John Skipper--the company's executive vice president for advertising sales, new media, and consumer products--now has added responsibility for ESPN/ABC Sports customer marketing and sales. Skipper takes on the new duties in addition to his existing role overseeing ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, and new media, including ESPN Broadband, ESPN Enterprises, SportsTicker, and ESPN Mobile. The company said Skipper will continue to report to ESPN/ABC Sports President George Bodenheimer--but will also report to Alex Wallau, president of ABC Network operations and administration, for his new role. Ed Erhardt, president of ESPN ABC Sports customer marketing and sales, will report to Skipper. Skipper joined ESPN in 1997 to help launch ESPN The Magazine. Previously, he was publisher of Wenner Media's Us, and Rolling Stone.