David Roberts, who joined ESPN in 2004, was named Executive Vice President, Executive Editor, Sports News and Entertainment in August of 2024. Roberts oversees ESPN’s vast news operation including sports news and coverage, investigative and enterprise journalism, research and digital editorial and all editions of SportsCenter. He also has oversight of studio shows including First Take, Get Up, PTI, Around The Horn, ESPN BET and fantasy shows, ESPN Audio, ESPN podcast content and ESPN digital shows.

Prior to being named to his current role, Roberts was the head of event & studio production at ESPN, leading the network’s NBA and WNBA production, in addition to his expansive collection of content responsibilities. Roberts oversaw production for all regular-season and playoff games, punctuated by the NBA and WNBA Finals, as well as studio content including NBA Countdown and NBA Today. In July 2023, Roberts added oversight of a significant portion of ESPN’s industry-leading college sports production to his portfolio, including men’s and women’s basketball and the ACC Network, as well as Formula 1 and special event productions (ESPYS).

In August 2020, as part of returning the strategic direction of ESPN Audio’s national network talk radio content to his oversight, he unveiled a powerful weekday talk lineup, adding new and diverse voices to ESPN Radio. In November 2020, leadership of ESPN’s cross-platform production unit was added to his portfolio.

Roberts’ leadership across ESPN has been highly recognized. Roberts’ work with ESPN’s signature news and information show SportsCenter led to an Emmy Award win for the Daily Studio Show category in 2021. In 2020, he was named to the Cablefax Diversity List, recognizing the most influential diverse executives in the industry. Roberts was also an integral part of a leadership team that brought First Take live to HBCU Week in 2019, with the goal to increase HBCU enrollment and scholarships at the event’s college fair. Records were set for both and Roberts was honored with the Trailblazer Award at the HBCU Week Gala. Since 2020, Roberts has also been a member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation Board of Directors.

In May of 2024, Roberts was named to the NATAS Silver Circle honor society, the inaugural Sports Emmy’s class. Members are honored for their distinguished service within the television industry, setting standards for achievement, mentoring, leadership and professional accolades, representing the best and brightest in the industry.

Previously, starting in 2018, Roberts served as vice president, production which included oversight of the ESPN Audio network. Prior to that, he served as general manager of ESPN New York 98.7FM. While at ESPN New York, Roberts led rights negotiations that brought multiyear deals for New York Knicks, Rangers and Jets games to the station. In addition, Roberts oversaw the simulcast agreement for The Michael Kay Show on the YES Network. Before that, Roberts was senior coordinating producer, studio production for ESPNEWS and joined ESPN in 2004 as a coordinating producer.

Roberts came to ESPN after more than 25 years of working in local news. In 1987, he became news director at WDTN-TV in Dayton, Ohio, where he was the first African American news director in the state’s history. In 1991, he moved to WBAL-TV in Baltimore as news director and in 1996 he joined WXIA-TV in Atlanta in the same position. Once again, he was the state’s first African American news director.

He began his television career in 1978 as a reporter for WGPR-TV in Detroit, Mich. In 1980 he joined WFMY-TV in Greensboro, N.C., as a reporter. In 1982, he returned to his hometown of Detroit as an assignment editor for WJBK-TV. In 1984 he moved to KFSN-TV in Fresno, Calif., as executive producer. A year later he assumed that same role for WGHP-TV in High Point, N.C.

A native of Detroit, Roberts earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communications from Wayne State University.

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