Warner Bros. Discovery Sports/Turner Sports president Lenny Daniels is leaving the company after 27 years.
Warner Bros. Discovery Sports chairman and CEO Luis Silberwasser – Daniels’ boss since June – informed staff earlier today.
“While this change will take place right away, Lenny has agreed to work with me to ensure a smooth transition,” Silberwasser wrote in an internal memo, adding, “I have enjoyed working with Lenny during these past few months and I respect his decision. Lenny has never been one to place a spotlight on himself; he’s always been quick to shine it on those around him. His enthusiasm and lighthearted demeanor are among his most endearing qualities, and they will be missed.”
Daniels’ direct reports at Turner Sports will now report directly into Silberwasser on an interim basis, according to the aforementioned memo. Those reports include evp/gm Tina Shah, chief content officer Craig Barry, svp of talent relations and special projects Tara August, Bleacher Report svp of content and programming Bennett Spector and vp of tech operations Chris Brown.
Daniels was named Turner Sports president in 2014 – leading sports acquisitions, programming and expansion of the company’s sports media rights, including the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, ELEAGUE and professional golf; a digital portfolio including Bleacher Report and B/R Live – Turner Sports’ new premium live streaming service – along with NCAA.com and PGA.com and an accompanying collection of mobile websites and connected device apps.
He stepped into the president role after five years as evp and chief of Turner Sports (2009-2014) where he was responsible for overseeing all day-to-day operations and strategic planning for the division’s linear and digital properties.
Daniels joined Turner in 1996 as a director and rose through successive sports production leadership roles. He was previously director for ESPN’s SportsCenter and NFL Primetime from 1992-1995,