President of Rogers Media Rick Brace announced the appointment of Bart Yabsley as President of Sportsnet on Tuesday, effective immediately.
Yabsley is responsible for leading the continued growth and evolution of sports content across all areas of Rogers. He oversees Sportsnet’s multi-platform production, programming, rights acquisitions, sponsorships, distribution channels, and product innovation.
Yabsley joined Rogers Media in 2014 and most recently was Senior Vice President of Sports and Entertainment Partnerships & Content Distribution. He continues to serve on the Rogers Media senior leadership team.
“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,” Brace said in a release. “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.”
A strong business leader with a proven track record, Yabsley brings more than 30 years of expertise, with an extensive background in sports, conventional and specialty television, and corporate M&A transactions. Starting his career as a lawyer, Yabsley has a long history of leading large teams to business excellence and growth opportunities. Prior to joining Rogers Media, Yabsley worked at Bell Media/CTV Inc. for more than 15 years in senior executive roles including Executive Vice President of Content Sales & Distribution, Executive Vice President of Business Planning & Distribution, and Executive Vice President of CTV Specialty Television Inc.
“The sports business continues to evolve at a rapid pace and I’m excited about Sportsnet’s future,” Yabsley said. “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.”
Yabsley holds and Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie University.