McManus, who turned 69 in February, started to consider retirement two years ago. With CBS carrying the Super Bowl this year along with the NCAA Tournament and the Masters, McManus and CBS President-CEO George Cheeks agreed the timing was right. David Berson, president of CBS Sports for over 10 years, is McManus’ hand-picked successor.
The CBS Sports chairman, who joined the network in 1996, spent a lifetime in control rooms that brought the biggest events to the nation’s living rooms.
Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports and the division’s 27-year leader (left), will retire next April and hand the reins to David Berson (right), 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+.
Sean McManus is not retiring. Every couple of years, this rumor gains traction. It happened in the run-up to Super Bowl 50 nearly six years ago. What better way to cap off a legendary sports media career than to executive produce the NFL’s 50th Super Bowl? It’s happening again this year, as the 66-year-old executive who essentially saved CBS Sports marks a career milestone. He has overseen one of the most enduring sports brands for a quarter of a century. But McManus, one of the most respected executives in all of sports, is no closer to retiring today than he was five years ago.
Sean McManus kicks off the new event covering live sports production, the rise of sports gambling, esports, the importance of sports to local broadcasters and more.
Ad sales chief Jo Ann Ross says that NFL CPMs are up mid-to-high single digits from last year, with insurance and tech giants leading the charge.
Exclusives
CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus discussed succession plans, the relationship with Turner Sports, and the continued strength of live-sports programming in a TV era dominated by DVRs and binge viewing during the B&C Sports Business and Technology Summit in New York City today.
The network received praise for restraint in showing the gruesome leg injury of Louisville’s Kevin Ware, although CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus said he knew people would say CBS should have shown it more because the network was in a position to document history. “We documented it, we described it and we showed it, and I think that was enough,” he said.
Sean McManus is stepping down as president of the news division to become chairman of CBS Sports. CBS News will now be headed by Jeff Fager, as chairman, and David Rhodes, as president.
Harry Smith and Maggie Rodriguez got axed from the Early Show Tuesday. Smith and CBS News President Sean McManus talk about the perennial challenges of the low-rated show.
