NESN Appoints David Wisnia As New President And CEO, Succeeding Sean McGrail

BOSTON — NESN, New England’s premier sports network, on Monday announced the appointment of David Wisnia as the new President & CEO. Wisnia will succeed Sean McGrail, who is retiring after 40 years of service at NESN.

McGrail, who joined NESN shortly after its inception, has served as President & CEO since 2000 and led SportsNet Pittsburgh, the broadcast and streaming home of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates, which has been managed by NESN since its acquisition in October 2023. He will continue as Senior Advisor to NESN’s Board of Directors.

Wisnia, who will begin his new role on Oct. 28, is an industry veteran with extensive
experience with some of the most well-regarded companies in the network business, including Fox Sports, CBS and MGM Studios. He joins NESN from Alvarez & Marsal, a global management consulting firm, where he was a Managing Director, specializing in media and entertainment operations and strategy. Wisnia will oversee both NESN and SportsNet Pittsburgh.

“NESN has been home for Red Sox and Bruins fans for over 40 years,” said Fenway SportsGroup Principal Owner John Henry. “We are grateful to Sean for guiding NESN’s growth through significant technological changes and positioning it for continued success amid immense industry disruption. With David’s appointment, we have a top-tier media executive with extensive experience, both domestically and globally, at leading companies in the network business. He shares our vision for NESN’s future and will ensure that shifts in the media landscape do not change our core goals: to connect directly to our fans, to provide local businesses with valuable opportunities to associate with our great clubs, and to tell stories about our teams that fans want to hear. We thank Sean for his remarkable leadership and welcome David as we look forward to NESN’s next chapter.”

“Sean has been an integral and formative part of NESN’s operation for the last 40 years,” said Fenway Sports Group Chairman Tom Werner. “He’s one of the most accomplished executives in the business and has carried NESN through some of the biggest broadcast transformations throughout the past four decades. During his 24-year tenure as President & CEO, NESN introduced a second channel, NESN+, expanded its distribution to a national audience via its NESN National product and launched the first-ever direct-to-consumer streaming product for a regional sports network, NESN 360. Under his leadership, the network won over 50 Emmy Awards and has been ranked by Forbes as one of the Top 10 Most Valuable Sports Brands in the world. We are thankful that he will remain a resource to NESN and to David throughout this transition. With David, we are confident we have a person who can skillfully adapt NESN to any future challenges to the business model. Whether it be media rights or technological, we know that with David at the helm, NESN will be in good hands to map out a new path forward while continuing the core
mission of serving Red Sox and Bruins fans.”

“David brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the broadcasting industry,” said Charlie Jacobs, CEO and Alternate Governor of the Boston Bruins. “We look forward to working alongside him and the NESN team into the future. Sean McGrail has been an integral partner with the Bruins for over four decades and we are confident he will set David up for great success moving forward.”

Wisnia’s appointment as NESN’s new President & CEO took place after a nationwide search conducted by NESN’s Board of Directors and McGrail, led by search firm CAA. He brings a wealth of global experience in the media industry to NESN, having built, scaled and turned around media assets for some of the world’s most prominent companies. Throughout his career, Wisnia has held senior roles at major media organizations, including Fox Sports, CBS Corporation, STAR TV and MGM Studios. As Executive Vice President at MGM Studios, he led the Global Networks Group, overseeing the operational and growth strategy for MGM’s domestic and international direct-to-consumer and linear networks. His leadership spanned programming, affiliate and advertising sales, partnerships, marketing, traffic, engineering and operations.

Prior to his role at MGM, Wisnia served as President of Business Operations for TV Guide
Network (currently known as Pop TV), where he managed the strategic growth of a network that reached over 80 million households. At CBS Corporation, he worked closely with the CEO as Executive Vice President of Business Development, leading strategic initiatives to expand CBS’s media portfolio.

Wisnia has served on the Board of Directors for numerous media and entertainment companies, including Telecine, Big Play Scoring, TV Guide Network and the Championship Gaming Series. With his diverse and extensive experience across traditional and digital media, he is well-equipped to drive NESN’s continued growth and leadership in sports broadcasting.

“I am honored to join NESN and build on the incredible foundation that Sean has established over the last two decades,” said Wisnia. “NESN has long been a leader in sports broadcasting, and I look forward to working with ownership and the talented team here to drive continued growth and deliver world-class sports coverage to our fans.”

Wisnia earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine, and a J.D. from Tulane University. He also holds a leadership and management certificate from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Wisnia brings a global perspective to NESN and its future endeavors.

During his tenure as NESN’s President and CEO, McGrail transformed the network into one of New England’s premier sports media properties. In addition to his many accolades, his
commitment to innovation led NESN to become the first regional sports network (RSN) to
broadcast in high definition and ultra-high definition establishing the network as a pioneer in RSN technology. He is an inductee to the Cable Pioneers Hall of Fame and has a deep connection to charitable endeavors, including helping to create the NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, and serving as a member on both the Red Sox and Bruins Foundation Board of Directors.

“I am incredibly grateful to all of my colleagues over the years who have helped establish NESN as one of the nation’s preeminent sports destinations,” said McGrail. “After 40 years, it was bittersweet to announce my retirement last March, and leading NESN & SNP has been one of the great joys of my life. I am confident that David will lead NESN & SNP into an exciting next chapter of sports broadcasting.”