July 2024

David Berson became president and chief executive officer of CBS Sports in April 2024, succeeding CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus in leading the division. He is the seventh person to lead the storied brand.

A gifted leader, Berson is known for his infectious enthusiasm, passion, collaboration and tremendous work ethic. He joined CBS Sports in January 2011 as executive vice president of CBS Sports and president CBS Sports Network. Two years later, he was named president of the division, at the time the youngest person ever to hold that title.

Berson oversees all aspects of CBS Sports across broadcast, cable, digital and streaming. He manages the relationships with CBS Sports’ partners, including the NFL, the Masters, PGA TOUR, PGA of America, NCAA, UEFA, Southeastern Conference and Big Ten Conference. Under Berson’s leadership, CBS Sports has more closely aligned and integrated all of its sports assets, including the CBS broadcast network, Paramount Global’s streaming service Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com and all its digital sports properties. Sports continues to be a primary driver for Paramount Global’s linear and digital success.

During Berson’s tenure at CBS Sports, he has been integral in all the Network’s rights acquisition negotiations with many marquee partners. He has helped spearhead four rights agreements with the NFL, including an 11-year multi-platform rights agreement that extends the Network’s long standing relationship with the league through the 2033 season. The historic deal keeps CBS the home of the AFC, while securing expanded and flexible distribution rights for Paramount+, as well as a vast array of rights across Paramount Global networks, properties and platforms. Berson conceived the Emmy award-winning NFL Wild Card Game on Nickelodeon, produced by CBS Sports, which debuted in 2021. In addition to versions in 2022 and 2023, the successful telecast became the first-ever alternate telecast of the Super Bowl for Super Bowl LVIII in 2024. The special slime-filled presentation, which aired alongside CBS Sports’ broadcast, is cultivating a new generation of fans and spurred the creation of NFL Slimetime, a weekly series on Nickelodeon.

Berson has been instrumental in numerous long-term golf deals for CBS. These include two separate nine-year PGA TOUR rights agreements (2013-2021 and 2022-2030), continuing CBS Sports’ position as the leading broadcast partner of the PGA TOUR, as well as an historic 11-year deal with the PGA of America for CBS’ carriage of the PGA Championship through 2030.

Berson also leads CBS Sports’ streaming content on Paramount+, highlighted in 2020 by making CBS Sports the home of the UEFA Champions League, the most prestigious club soccer tournament in the world. The deal was later extended through the 2029-30 season. In addition to UEFA, CBS Sports’ soccer portfolio boasts many of the sport’s top competitions, including Serie A, the NWSL, English Football League and the Women’s Super League. In 2023, the division launched the CBS Sports Golazo Network, a first-of-its-kind, 24/7 streaming network dedicated to soccer.

Berson helped secure the multimedia rights for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship (March Madness) for CBS, in conjunction with Turner Broadcasting, through 2032. Berson and CBS also negotiated a seven-year agreement with the Big Ten for football and basketball rights through 2029-30. Additionally, college sports rights extensions have been reached for the Army-Navy game through 2028, among many others.

Since Berson joined CBS Sports, CBS Sports Network has achieved record business results. Enhancements to the cable network during his tenure include a total rebrand of the service, numerous rights agreements to bring aboard more leagues/conferences and live events than ever before, plus original programming, including the critically acclaimed first-ever, nationally televised, all-female primetime sports show, WE NEED TO TALK.

A 10-time Emmy winner, Berson co-ran ESPN’s programming department before joining CBS. He was responsible for programming strategy, scheduling, development and driving audience consumption for all of ESPN’s domestic television networks and digital video media platforms.

The Sports Business Journal annually includes Berson on its list of the Most Influential People in Sports Business. In January 2006, The Sporting News listed Berson, then 33, on its annual list of “Young & Powerful.” In 2007, 2008 and 2009, he was selected as a Sports Business Journal “Forty Under 40” recipient and named as a “Forty Under 40 Hall of Famer.” In 2007 and 2008, he was listed on BusinessWeek’s “The Power 100” ranking of the 100 most powerful people in sports. In 2019, for his philanthropic and professional work, Berson was honored by the UJA-Federation of New York at its Sports for Youth Luncheon.

Berson serves as chair of the annual March of Dimes luncheon, an event that brings the industry’s most prominent organizations and leaders together to unite around March of Dimes’ mission to combat preventable maternal health risks and deaths along with preventable preterm birth and infant deaths.

Berson is a graduate of the University of Michigan and serves on the university’s Sports Management Advisory Board.