WWE has hired Jamie Horowitz to lead WWE Studios and oversee the pro-wrestling company’s scripted and unscripted programming for digital and social media. Since WWE Network was rolled into NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service earlier this year, a lot of Horowitz’s digital work will end up on that platform. He’s also working on a Vince McMahon documentary at Netflix, among other outside (Peacock) projects.
Horowitz, who was most recently at DAZN, joins WWE with the title executive vice president of development & digital.
Additionally on Tuesday, WWE announced Samira Shah has joined the company as general counsel and corporate secretary, and Matt Drew was hired as senior vice president of WWE’s international operations. Shah comes from outside of sports media. Drew was at DAZN with Horowitz.
Horowitz and Drew follow Chris Legentil from DAZN to WWE. Legentil was hired as WWE’s global head of communications in April 2021.
At ESPN, Horowitz crafted several shows, including morning debate program “First Take.” Yeah, Horowitz is the one to blame for Skip Bayless.
Horowitz served as president of Fox Sports’ FS1 from 2015 to 2017 before being fired after the network opened an investigation into claims of sexual harassment. Horowitz, through his attorney, has denied any misconduct.
“At no point in his tenure was there any mention by his superiors or human resources of any misconduct or an inability to adhere to professional conduct,” a statement at the time from Horowitz’s attorney Patty Glaser read. “Jamie was hired by Fox to do a job, a job that until today he has performed in an exemplary fashion. Any slanderous accusations to the contrary will be vigorously defended.”
In response, an attorney representing Fox Sports said that Horowitz’s “termination was fully warranted, and his lawyer’s accusations are ill-informed and misguided.”
Prior to joining Fox Sports, Horowitz served as general manager of the “Today Show.” He also worked previously at NBC Sports.