David Berson, the president and CEO of CBS Sports, will reportedly lead Skydance’s global sports business following the $111 billion merger closing on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, according to sources. The executive restructuring will see Luis Silberwasser, chairman and CEO of TNT Sports since 2022, exit the company as the enlarged media group consolidates its sports operations under a single corporate umbrella.
Executive Leadership Shift at Skydance
The transaction brings CBS Sports and TNT Sports under the same corporate roof for the first time since they began their joint venture on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in 2010. CNBC first reported the executive shuffle, noting that Berson’s expanded remit will encompass networks, platforms, and territories across both CBS Sports, TNT Sports, and WBD Sports.
Sprawling Sports Rights Portfolio Under Berson
Berson will inherit a massive collection of live sports properties resulting from the integration of the two media giants. Silberwasser’s tenure at TNT Sports included securing sublicensed College Football Playoff games, NASCAR deals, the French Open, and All Elite Wrestling agreements, alongside existing NHL and Major League Baseball rights, though the division notably lost its long-running NBA rights package beginning with the 2025–26 season. CNBC reported that Berson will face immediate decisions regarding which sports properties to retain as the combined company addresses nearly $80 billion in debt.
Luis Silberwasser Departs Following Merger Close
Silberwasser informed his employees of his impending departure in a memo sent on Monday, October 5, 2026. In his message to staff, cited by Deadline, Silberwasser wrote: I have tremendous respect for our leadership and for the leaders of CBS Sports, who are great colleagues and friends. I fully support the decision and will do everything I can to be of assistance during the transition. I believe in the strategy ahead and, above all, in the people who will carry this work forward.
Silberwasser previously guided the sports division through the corporate formation of Warner Bros. Discovery in 2022 following the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger.
CBS Sports Declines to Comment on Consolidation
The consolidation unites two broadcasting operations that have shared broadcast and digital rights for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, commonly known as March Madness, for over a decade. Representatives for CBS Sports declined to comment when contacted by Deadline, and CBS did not immediately respond to inquiries from TheWrap ahead of the transaction’s scheduled Tuesday close.
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