About the Role & Program  

The ESPN Business Development & Innovation team is responsible for identifying, developing, and executing new business opportunities and strategic initiatives that support ESPN’s long-term growth and innovation goals across all areas of the business. The team actively explores partnerships in traditional and digital media that help drive revenue, expand audience reach, or strengthen ESPN’s position as a leader in innovation. 

What You Will Do  

In this role, you will support the team in developing and implementing key initiatives aligned with ESPN's long-term strategic planning and innovation goals across all areas of the business. The ideal candidate combines creativity, analytical expertise, and a strong work ethic to identify and assess new opportunities across departments such as corporate strategy, affiliate sales & marketing, ad sales, product, production, and programming.

The dates of this program are June1st through August 7, 2026. 

Responsibilities include:

• Support the Business Development & Innovation team with daily preparation for meetings and presentations

• Create and refine presentation materials for senior‑level audiences

• Research, summarize, and share insights on potential innovation and business partners

• Assist in identifying new internal and external business opportunities

• Manage inbound pitches, coordinate meetings, capture notes, and support project tracking

• Maintain awareness of key partners, market trends, competitors, and provide regular updates to senior leadership

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Demonstrated analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to identify insights and propose solutions

• Working proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel for creating presentations, analyses, and basic reporting

• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present ideas concisely to diverse audiences

• Strong interest in sports and the sports media industry, with awareness of current trends and competitors

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment and contribute to shared objectives

• Experience managing projects or coursework with multiple deadlines, balancing priorities across teams or stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications & Skills

• A deep understanding of emerging technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, with an interest for their application in sports media and fan engagement

• Interest in the sports travel industry and enthusiasm for exploring innovative ways to enhance fan experiences through travel

Education 

• Junior or Senior year preferred 

• Major or previous coursework in Business, Communications, Economics, or related major preferred   

Eligibility Requirements & Program Information 

Candidates for this opportunity MUST meet all of the below requirements:  

• Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree taking at least one class at time of application OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship 

• Current Disney Interns, College, International, or Culinary Program Participants: You may only work for ONE consecutive year (12 months) in any combination of an internship and/or program 

• Be at least 18 years of age 

• Possess unrestricted work authorization  

Additional Information 

• Able to have a consistent, reliable work schedule throughout the internship  

• Fully available from Monday through Friday for the duration of the internship, 40 hours each week  

• Able to provide own housing for the duration of the internship program in the New York City area  

• Able to provide/have reliable transportation to/from work