Former ESPN President John Skipper shared in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he resigned from his position in December after someone he bought cocaine from tried to extort him.
Skipper, 62, shocked many when he announced his resignation and cited a substance abuse problem days before Christmas, and just days after he gave an address to ESPN employees.
Skipper told James Andrew Miller, author of the ESPN tell-all book “Those Guys Have All The Fun,” that he has been an “infrequent” user of cocaine since the 1980s and never allowed it to interfere with his professional life.
But when buying cocaine in December from a dealer he had never bought from before, Skipper said he and his family were threatened. He confessed to Walt Disney Co. President Bob Iger, and they agreed Skipper should resign his post at ESPN. He had worked for ESPN for 27 years and was its president since the start of 2012.
Skipper also denied rumors that he ever had improper contact with a female employee and his resignation was a #MeToo-related incident.
Jimmy Pitaro was recently named ESPN’s new president.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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