ESPN chairman James Pitaro is No. 46 on the 100 People of Power & Influence list in The Hockey News' 2026 Money & Power Issue.
The 100 People of Power & Influence in hockey are featured in The Hockey News' 2026 Money & Power issue, available at THN.com/free.
At No. 46 is ESPN chairman James Pitaro.
Even if broadcast ratings yo-yo, live action is tentpole content for streaming services. ESPN's rights deal is up in 2028, so the focus will begin to shift toward upcoming negotiations.
Each person on the list this year is ranked in 14 categories of job classification, from owners to players to agents, along with many more powerbrokers identified within various silos of expertise. That's all available to find in The Hockey News' 2026 Money & Power hockey business annual.