Skydance Sports is moving quickly to define its future after one of the biggest media mergers in recent memory. Under newly appointed chairman David Berson, the company has now unveiled a key executive lineup that signals how Skydance Sports plans to manage programming, production, digital growth, finance, marketing and international operations in the months ahead.
The appointments come in the wake of the newly formed Skydance entity, created through the reported $110 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. For the Tv & Video industry, this is more than an internal staffing update. It offers a clear early look at which executives will shape the future of sports content across broadcast television, cable, streaming and digital platforms.
Skydance Sports leadership team takes shape under David Berson
David Berson, a longtime CBS Sports executive, was recently elevated to chairman of Skydance’s Global Sports Group. His latest moves confirm a broader restructuring effort already underway across the merged business.
Two of the most prominent appointments are:
- Jeff Gerttula, named Executive Vice President and Managing Director
- Craig Berry, named Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer
Gerttula, known for his experience in digital sports strategy at CBS Sports, will oversee digital, international, strategy and business development. Berry, a veteran of TNT and Turner sports operations, will lead production and content across remote broadcasts, live events, studio programming, talent, graphics and editorial.
These choices suggest Skydance Sports is balancing continuity with consolidation, bringing together leaders from both legacy organizations while still leaning heavily on Paramount-linked executives.
What the Skydance Sports executive appointments reveal
Like many post-merger reorganizations, this leadership rollout reflects a familiar pattern: the acquiring side appears to hold significant influence in the new structure. Even so, Skydance Sports has preserved some high-level representation from the Warner Bros. Discovery sports side, most notably with Craig Berry’s appointment.
That matters because Berry brings decades of experience in live sports production, an area that remains essential as media companies compete for viewers in real time. In a fragmented viewing landscape, premium live sports rights still drive subscriber growth, advertising demand and brand visibility.
By pairing digital leadership with production leadership, Skydance Sports appears to be focusing on two immediate priorities:
- Expanding cross-platform sports distribution
- Maintaining strong live-event execution during the merger transition
This is especially important for a company now operating across multiple channels, from traditional TV to social-first and streaming-first sports media brands.
Full roster of key Skydance Sports executives
Beyond Gerttula and Berry, David Berson’s executive team covers nearly every major operational pillar of a modern sports media company.
Operations, programming and finance
- Patty Power — EVP, Operations and Engineering
- Dan Weinberg — EVP, Programming
- Chris Carter — EVP, Chief Financial Officer
Power will handle technical operations, engineering, post-production and media workflows. Weinberg will lead programming strategy, scheduling, rights acquisitions and league relationships. Carter will oversee the financial structure behind the division.
Marketing, communications and audience strategy
- Kelly Dunne — EVP, Marketing
- Jen Sabatelle — EVP, Communications
- Doug Bernstein — SVP, Insights and Audience Strategy
This group will be central to how Skydance Sports builds audience loyalty, promotes rights packages and positions its content in an increasingly crowded sports media market.
Legal, business affairs and people leadership
- Bryn Berglund — SVP, Human Resources
- Kevin Glidewell — SVP, Legal
- Deanna O’Toole — SVP, Business Affairs
These roles may be less visible to viewers, but they are critical during a merger, particularly when talent contracts, production deals, rights clearances and organizational integration are all in flux.
Digital strategy will be central to the future of Skydance Sports
One of the clearest signals from the new structure is that digital growth is not being treated as a side function. At Skydance Sports, it is now a central strategic pillar.
Jeff Gerttula’s remit includes not only digital operations but also international strategy and business development. He will also work with executives connected to brands such as Bleacher Report and House of Highlights, both of which remain highly relevant in sports video distribution and audience engagement.
That combination points to a broader goal for Skydance Sports: build a model where premium live rights, studio analysis, social content, highlights and international expansion work together rather than operate in separate silos.
For the Tv & Video sector, that integrated approach is becoming essential. Sports fans increasingly move between linear TV, connected TV apps, mobile highlights and social clips in a single viewing cycle. The companies that can manage all of those touchpoints effectively will likely have the strongest long-term position.
Notable exits show the scale of the Skydance Sports reorganization
The executive appointments also came alongside a number of departures, underscoring how extensive this restructuring really is. Reported exits include senior figures in communications, production, finance, ventures, HR and strategic partnerships.
That is often the reality after a merger of this size. Duplicate functions are consolidated, reporting lines are redrawn and leadership authority becomes more centralized. In this case, Skydance Sports is clearly trying to streamline decision-making while preserving expertise in key areas like live production, programming and digital sports media.
David Berson also acknowledged the contributions of those leaving, highlighting the significance of their roles in shaping the outgoing organizations.
What this means for Tv & Video going forward
The Skydance Sports leadership announcement is ultimately about more than titles. It is an early blueprint for how the new company intends to compete in a sports media environment defined by rights battles, streaming economics, international expansion and changing viewer habits.
If this roster is any indication, Skydance Sports wants to be organized around scale, operational control and multiplatform reach. That makes the division one to watch closely as the broader merged company continues to define itself.
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For now, one takeaway is clear: Skydance Sports is building its leadership bench with a strong emphasis on digital strategy, live production and corporate alignment. As the post-merger landscape evolves, Skydance Sports will be a major name to watch across Tv & Video.
