Lori LeBas was promoted to senior vice president, strategy & business operations for the company’s sales and marketing divisions in March 2006. In addition to her responsibilities in affiliate sales and marketing, she oversees the advertising sales operations team responsible for all post-sales processes, inventory reconciliation and finance. In May 2007, LeBas gained oversight responsibility for ESPN’s ticket operations and in that role she will oversee and support business operations for research, marketing and special events marketing.
Prior to her current role, LeBas was senior vice president, affiliate operations and syndication sales overseeing ESPN syndication sales, and the overall operations management of Disney and ESPN Networks Affiliate Sales and Marketing. She was responsible for expenses, revenues, capital forecasts and budgets. She also worked in conjunction with ABC CNG Finance and ESPN Finance.
Previously, LeBas was vice president, business planning and syndication sales, and was responsible for overseeing and developing ESPN’s network affiliation agreements, affiliate agreements for new products and services, forecast and budgeting, as well as management reporting, regulatory compliance and ESPN networks’ transport activity.
LeBas established and implemented strategic direction, objectives and plans to grow ESPN’s syndication business with cable affiliates, independent sports networks and professional sports teams. She has helped increase syndication revenue in 2003 by 57% over the prior year.
She took the lead to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of ESPN’s Affiliate Operations to ensure compliance to league requirements and maximize ratings through program regionalization. LeBas significantly contributed to the sixth straight quarter of ratings growth on ESPN and the growth of ESPN’s linear networks and new businesses by identifying industry trends through research and financial analysis and assessment.
LeBas also oversees affiliate operations and is integrally involved in affiliate network services and alternate program processing. She assumed this position in June 2002.
LeBas joined ESPN in 2000 as director, affiliate sales development and operations, responsible for, among other things, helping develop, pricing and packaging policies for ESPN’s domestic networks and overseeing ESPN relationships with the national cable television cooperative (NCTC), which represents over 12 million subscribers.
Prior to joining ESPN, LeBas held a variety of positions at SNET, lastly as President of SNET Personal Vision, Inc., the company’s cable subsidiary. She also held marketing positions at The Connecticut Ballet and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.
LeBas is member of the 2002-2003 graduating class at the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute and has also successfully completed the CTAM Executive Development Program in June 2002 at Harvard University.
LeBas received her undergraduate degree in Economics and German from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass.