CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus will retire in April 2024 after a 27-year run leading the division.
McManus, who joined CBS Sports as its president in 1996, has been responsible for the company’s reacquisition of the National Football League rights in 1998, as well as subsequent deals with the NFL, NCAA, Big Ten, PGA Tour, UEFA, PGA of America, SEC and the Masters. He served concurrently as president of CBS News and Sports for more than five years prior to being named chairman in 2011 and is only the second person to hold both division titles simultaneously at a network.
“Leading CBS Sports has been an honor and I have been so fortunate to work with the most talented team in sports media, along with our incredible partners, for nearly three decades. It has been a fantastic run and the thrill of a lifetime,” McManus said in a statement. “I am pleased to leave CBS Sports in an even stronger place than when I arrived, knowing that all of our marquee properties are locked up through this decade and beyond.”
McManus will be succeeded by CBS Sports president David Berson, who has worked with the division for over 10 years.
Berson, who joined CBS Sports in 2011 and was named president in June 2013, has overseen the strategic direction and daily operations of the division’s broadcast, cable, digital and streaming assets. He has also spearheaded numerous marquee rights and talent acquisitions.
“It has been the privilege of my career to have a front-row seat and work alongside Sean for the past 13 years,” Berson said in a statement. “He is the ultimate leader, mentor and friend. I look forward to carrying on the high standards he established, which help define CBS Sports. It is a genuine honor to lead our incomparable CBS Sports team and continue working closely with our world-class partners.”
The transition plan was announced by CBS president and CEO George Cheeks, who called McManus “a first-ballot, hall of fame executive” that has helped guide the company through “a transformative era in sports television.”
“His achievements here and the culture of excellence he established for CBS Sports — on screen and off — will benefit CBS and Paramount Global long into the future,” Cheeks said.
Cheeks added that Berson is “a brilliant, innovative and passionate leader with deep knowledge and relationships in all areas of our business.”
“He is highly respected across the industry by his peers, our partners and within CBS Sports and Paramount Global,” he continued. “Sean and David’s excellent partnership the past decade has positioned CBS Sports for this smooth transition. David is the ideal executive to lead the next chapter of this proud and storied division.”
