Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports and the division’s 27-year leader, will retire next April and hand the reins to David Berson, who has been president of CBS Sports for more than 10 years.
The leadership change was announced today by George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS, and chief content officer of news and sports at Paramount+.
McManus joined CBS Sports as president in 1996 and played a key role in restoring the division’s prominence with the reacquisition of the NFL rights in 1998. He has spearheaded other notable rights deals with the NFL as well as with the NCAA, Big Ten, PGA Tour, UEFA, PGA of America and the SEC, along with the Masters. McManus 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.
The final stretch of his tenure leading CBS Sports has also been marked by the massive logistical challenge presented by Covid, which shut down virtually the entire sports world for months in 2020 and continued to have an impact in the months to follow.
“Sean is a first-ballot, hall of fame executive who has masterfully managed all aspects of CBS Sports for 27 years and helped guide us through a transformative era in sports television,” Cheeks said in a press release. “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.”
Berson joined CBS Sports in 2011 and was named president in June 2013. While overseeing CBS Sports’ broadcast, cable, digital and streaming assets, he has been integral in establishing the strategic direction of the division and managing its daily operations, along with spearheading numerous marquee rights and talent acquisitions, managing relationships with partners and developing and leading a best-in-class team.
“David 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,” Cheeks said. “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.”
“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,” said McManus. “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. The future at CBS Sports is in the extremely capable hands of David Berson, who will seamlessly succeed me, as we planned. He is an outstanding leader and strategist, with knowledge and experience across all facets of the business, and has established excellent relationships with our partners and across our team.”
“It has been the privilege of my career to have a front-row seat and work alongside Sean for the past 13 years,” said Berson. “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.”
