Colin Cowherd doesn’t work for ESPN and Disney anymore, but he is making his opinion known on who should succeed Bob Iger as the company’s next CEO.
Responding to an article from CNBC surfacing the idea that Disney co-chair Dana Walden could replace Bob Iger in the coming years, Cowherd called Walden “sharp” and said she “should be” Iger’s successor.
Cowherd worked in the same company as Walden when she was chair and CEO of Fox Television Group.
Walden came up in the business with a background in public relations and television development. According to CNBC’s Alex Sherman, she has a strong reputation for managing talent and has risen steadily at Disney since the company purchased much of Fox’s assets (including the television studios group Walden ran) in a deal struck in December 2017.
A successor for Iger could be selected soon. His contract runs through 2026. Walden would be Disney’s first woman CEO if she earned the honor.
ESPN chair Jimmy Pitaro is also reportedly a candidate to replace Iger, providing another sports angle in this web of names. Cowherd and Pitaro did not work together directly during Cowherd’s tenure at the worldwide leader.
Pitaro came from Disney’s consumer products, interactive media and digital media division, but did not work at ESPN before replacing John Skipper in March 2018.
Cowherd often says he stays away from commenting publicly on media business affairs, but that’s hardly true. He often comments on game viewership, annually hosts Fox analytics executive Michael Mulvihill on his podcast, and weighed in on sports media topics like Aaron Rodgers, Taylor Swift, and Tom Brady this year alone. Cowherd also runs The Volume, a digital media brand reportedly valued at $100 million.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.