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| ESPN president John Skipper resigns citing substance addiction | ESPN president John Skipper resigns citing substance addiction |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ESPN president John Skipper has announced his resignation, citing a problem with substance addiction. | ESPN president John Skipper has announced his resignation, citing a problem with substance addiction. |
| Former ESPN president George Bodenheimer, who worked for the sports media company for more than 30 years, will step in as interim president. | Former ESPN president George Bodenheimer, who worked for the sports media company for more than 30 years, will step in as interim president. |
| The changes are effective immediately. | The changes are effective immediately. |
| Mr Skipper said in a statement: "I come to this public disclosure with embarrassment, trepidation and a feeling of having let others I care about down." | Mr Skipper said in a statement: "I come to this public disclosure with embarrassment, trepidation and a feeling of having let others I care about down." |
| "I have struggled for many years with a substance addiction. I have decided that the most important thing I can do right now is to take care of my problem." | "I have struggled for many years with a substance addiction. I have decided that the most important thing I can do right now is to take care of my problem." |
| Mr Skipper has led ESPN since 2012 and recently signed an extension to his contract through 2021. He had worked at ESPN since 1997. | Mr Skipper has led ESPN since 2012 and recently signed an extension to his contract through 2021. He had worked at ESPN since 1997. |
| The company, owned by Disney, has been facing challenges as the number of people with pay TV declines. It has undergone several rounds of layoffs in recent years. | |
| Mr Skipper's departure comes after few says after Disney struck a deal to buy film, television and international businesses from Rupert Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox for $52.4bn. | |
| Disney chief executive Bob Iger, who has extended his stay at the company until the end of 2021 to oversee integration of Fox's businesses, praised Mr Skipper's candor. | |
| Mr Skipper has led ESPN to a series of long-term, multi-platform agreements with major sports rights holders, including the National Basketball Association and the Major League Baseball. |