David C. Preschlack, 1995
B.A., Denison University
Executive Vice President
ESPN Inc.
Southport, Conn.
Citation awarded May, 2015
David Preschlack, executive vice president, affiliate sales and marketing, Disney & ESPN Media Networks, oversees U.S. cable, telco and satellite affiliate sales, global distribution and strategy, digital video distribution, and affiliate marketing for The Walt Disney Company’s linear networks, including ABC Family, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Fusion, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN Bases Loaded, Longhorn Network, SEC ESPN Network, and related HDTV, video-on-demand, subscription video-on-demand, interactive television and pay-per-view products. Preschlack also manages the retransmission consent agreements for The Walt Disney Company’s eight-owned ABC stations. In addition, Preschlack oversees content distribution on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices, including WATCH ABC, WATCH ABC Family, the WATCH Disney products, WatchESPN and ESPN3. He was promoted to this role in June 2007.
Among his many accomplishments, Preschlack led the negotiation of a series of long-term agreements for the Disney and ESPN networks, including every major U.S. multichannel video programming distributor since 2010. As part of those agreements, he has worked closely with distribution partners to strengthen the value of the multichannel video subscription by introducing new products to digitally-connected consumers, including the WATCH product suite (the first-ever live, authenticated networks service that made the ESPN Networks and Disney Channels available to fans on digital platforms), Sling Television (an Internet delivered, IP-based multichannel offering with DISH), and the evolution of ESPN Classic.
Prior to his current role, Preschlack was senior vice president, affiliate sales and marketing, Disney & ESPN Media Network Group, overseeing sales, business strategy, affiliate ad sales and affiliate marketing for all Disney and ESPN products and services in the U.S. He was formerly senior vice president, national accounts with responsibility for all domestic distribution and licensing efforts for The Walt Disney Company’s assets within the Media Networks group, a position he held since September 2004.
His first experience with ESPN came care of Denison’s summer internship program where he worked with George Bodenheimer ’80. Upon graduating from Denison he joined ESPN as a videotape librarian in July 1995 and then joined the affiliate sales and marketing department in 1996 as a sales coordinator. He was promoted to associate account executive, affiliate sales and marketing, northeast region (1997-1999), account executive, affiliate sales and marketing, northeast region (1999-2000), senior account executive, affiliate sales and marketing, northeast region (2000-2001), director, affiliate sales and marketing, northeast region (2001-2002), and vice president, national accounts, affiliate sales and marketing (2002-2004).
Recently, Preschlack was named the recipient of the 2013 NCTA Vanguard Award for Young Leadership. The Vanguard Awards are the cable and telecommunications industry’s most prestigious honor. Preschlack has received Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” distinction three times (2007-2009, thereby becoming a “Forty Under 40 Hall of Famer”) and was named to Multichannel News’ “40 Under 40” list in 2007. In 2004 Television Week named Preschlack to its “Hot List,” a list of a dozen men and women poised to take their places at the forefront of the television business in the next few years. He has been named one of “cable’s heavy hitters” in CableFax 100 for over a decade.
Preschlack serves on the Board of Directors of the Cable and Telecommunications Association (CTAM) and he sits on its Executive Committee as Treasurer. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the United Way and the National Wildlife Refuge Association.
He currently resides in Southport, Conn. with his wife and four children.
