 Sean R.H. Bratches, EVP, Sales and Marketing, ESPN By every measure, Sean Bratches is a cable pioneer. Currently the Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing for ESPN, Bratches joined the company in 1988 as an account executive. At that time, ESPN consisted of one cable network, far removed from the global multimedia company it is today.
Much has changed at ESPN, but Bratches has remained a constant—a visionary and a mentor whose counsel is consistently sought by those within the company and the industry at large.
Bratches oversees the broad portfolio of ESPN's leading sports properties for both ad sales and affiliate sales, ESPN's two primary revenue streams. Under Bratches' leadership, ESPN has become the industry leader in creating value by strategically leveraging its core brand to create win-win scenarios for its affiliates and advertisers.
His keen eye for what's next led to the creation of ESPN Broadband in 2001, which evolved in to what is today WatchESPN. Launched in 2010, WatchESPN continues to grow and set records, most recently making the 2014 FIFA World Cup from Brazil the most-streamed sporting event ever—with 43,300,000 hours of live viewing.
Bratches also directs the marketing, research and business operations groups at the company, which consistently produce award-winning creative like the popular "This is SportsCenter" campaign; and industry-leading research, like Project Blueprint.
He has tirelessly given his time to the industry, serving in a variety of leadership and board roles for CTAM, the Ad Council, WICT, the T. Howard Foundation and the Cable Center. He has received numerous awards over the years, including two NCTA Vanguard Awards—in 2009 for Marketing and in 2001 for Young Leadership.
A proud and involved alumnus of the Rochester Institute of Technology, Bratches was inducted into the RIT Sports Hall of Fame for lacrosse and distinguished service. |
