DirecTV’s Eric Shanks named president of Fox Sports, Goren becomes vice chairman

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In a major shakeup of its executive ranks, Fox Sports has named Eric Shanks, a senior executive at satellite broadcaster DirecTV, its new president.

Shanks, 38, will succeed Fox Sports veteran Ed Goren, 65, who will become vice chairman of the Fox Sports Media Group. Both Shanks and Goren will report to Fox Sports Chairman and Chief Executive David Hill.

The hiring of Shanks comes on the heels of a January restructuring of Fox’s cable networks that resulted in all the sports channels being put under Hill. Previously, Hill did not have oversight of Fox’s 19 regional sports networks or the Speed and Fuel channels.

Besides programming and production, Shanks will also be responsible for marketing, promotion, communications, business and legal affairs for Fox Sports.

The moves will free Goren up to focus on Fox’s other sports channels leaving the day-to-day operations of Fox Sports to Shanks. Goren will retain his title of executive producer for Fox Sports.
Shanks, who as executive vice president for entertainment at DirecTV also oversaw much of the satellite broadcaster’s sports operations, has long ties to Fox. He joined Fox Sports in 1994 as a broadcast associate where he first got close to Hill.

DirecTV has not yet named a replacement for Shanks.

-- Joe Flint