April 1 marks NFL Network\u2019s first full day under ESPN ownership and operation.<\/p>\n
Tuesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell bid farewell<\/a> to his NFL Network colleagues. On Wednesday, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro and his senior leadership team sent a memo to all ESPN employees, welcoming the addition of NFL Network to the larger ESPN portfolio.<\/p>\n In a separate memo, ESPN content president Burke Magnus and EVP of programming Rosalyn Durant shared how NFL Network leadership would be incorporated into ESPN\u2019s organizational chart.<\/p>\n Most notably, Charlie Yook, who spent 20 years at NFL Network and was most recently a production executive for the channel, will join ESPN as VP\/Executive Producer of Content Production where he\u2019ll continue to oversee NFL Network from its Hollywood Park location, according to the internal memo reviewed by Awful Announcing. Yook will report to Mike McQuade, ESPN\u2019s EVP of Sports Production.<\/p>\n Todd Sperry, who led NFL Network\u2019s newsroom, will join ESPN as a VP and Executive Editor focusing on NFL coverage. Sperry will report to David Roberts, who heads ESPN\u2019s news operation and daytime studio shows like\u00a0First Take. Sperry was an 11-year veteran of NFL Network, having previously worked in cable news at CNN.<\/p>\n Jessica Lee will join ESPN as VP, Production Operations & Engineering, overseeing the NFL Network facilities in Hollywood Park. She\u2019s a 12-year veteran of NFL Media and will report to Chris Calcinari, an SVP of Content Operations at ESPN.<\/p>\n Lastly, Tony Cole, who led distribution and technical operations for NFL Network, joins ESPN as a VP, Media Operations and will also report to Calcinari.<\/p>\n ESPN seems to be fully embracing its new network. Several ESPN executives are said to be on-site at NFL Network\u2019s Los Angeles studios, and will remain there over the coming days to introduce themselves to their new employees, and to offer networking opportunities. Perhaps that\u2019s why we noticed NFL Network\u2019s flagship morning show\u00a0Good Morning Football sporting much more formal attire on Wednesday than their typical dressed-down fare.<\/p>\n \u201cOpposites attract\u201d \ud83e\uddf2@IamSTANBACK<\/a> is loving the Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel pairing pic.twitter.com\/MwUrv3IFJv<\/a><\/p>\n