Bart Yabsley has been appointed the new president of Sportsnet, effective immediately.
Yabsley has been part of the Rogers Media senior leadership team since 2014 as senior vice-president of Sports and Entertainment Partnerships & Content Distribution. As president, he’ll oversee the continued growth and evolution of sports content across all areas of Rogers, including Sportsnet’s multi-platform production, programming, rights acquisitions, sponsorships, distribution channels, and product innovation. Yabsley succeeds Scott Moore, who stepped down as president, Sportsnet & NHL Properties, at the end of October after eight years in the role.
“Bart is a forward-thinking media executive with deep operational excellence, whose strategic vision, key relationships, and experience in all facets of the business will be a driving force in Sportsnet’s continued unparalleled delivery of sports content to fans,” said Rick Brace, president of Rogers Media. “Bart and I have a longstanding history together in sports and media. He is passionate about where the industry is going and understands the personal connection fans have to sports. Driven by innovation, he is the ideal leader to write the next chapter and champion Sportsnet’s ongoing success.”
Yabsley, who started his career as a lawyer, previously worked at Bell Media/CTV for more than 15 years in senior executive roles, including EVP of Content Sales & Distribution, EVP of Business Planning & Distribution, and EVP of CTV Specialty Television Inc.
“The sports business continues to evolve at a rapid pace and I’m excited about Sportsnet’s future. When I look at the programming and relationships we have firmly established, along with our creative product roadmap, production and editorial excellence, and the talent of the team, the opportunities for growth and innovation are endless. I am honoured to carry on the tradition,” said Yabsley.
Yabsley holds a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Dalhousie University.
