The new year has brought a new era at Fox Sports, with the company announcing on Tuesday that Mark Silverman has stepped down from his roles as its president and COO.
“I am immensely proud of all that we have been able to accomplish at FOX Sports and the 11 prior years at BTN”, Silverman said in a press release. “It has been an incredibly rewarding experience working with all the talented people at FOX and creating memories that will last a lifetime. While bittersweet, I look forward to embarking on my next chapter.”
Added Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks: “Mark has been an amazing partner through this incredible period of growth at FOX Sports. His contributions go way beyond the bottom line. Mark’s contributions to the culture here and the relationship with our partners is something we can all be proud of. Always a fun and inspirational friend, I’ll miss him around the office every day, but we will continue to press forward and work on projects that keep FOX Sports on top.”
Silverman, who will move into a consulting role, first became Fox Sports’ president in 2018 following his previous stint as the president of the Big Ten Network, which started with its inception in 2006. The last eight years have proven to be a transformative time for the company, with successes such as the launch of its Big Noon Kickoff college football franchise and lows like Fs1’s constantly changing daytime programming lineup. 2025 proved to be an especially trying year for Fox Sports, as multiple lawsuits accusing Charlie Dixon of sexual misconduct preceded the longtime programming executive’s departure from the company. FS1 also once again overhauled its daytime programming lineup, canceling several shows and forging a relationship with Barstool Sports.
According to Puck’s John Ourand — who first broke the news of Silverman stepping down — Fox Sports won’t wait long to name its next president. Per Ourand, Silverman is expected to be succeeded by Brad Zager, who currently serves as Fox Sports’ president of production of operations and began his career as an intern at Fox Sports West in 1996.
Sources also tell me that Brad Zager will succeed Mark Silverman at Fox Sports. Zager started at Fox in 1996 as an intern at one of the RSNs. He’s currently president of production and operations and executive producer at the network.
— John Ourand (@Ourand_Puck) January 6, 2026
2026 promises to be a high profile year for Fox Sports, which will be the home of this summer’s FIFA World Cup. Now the company finds itself in the midst of a leadership change, albeit with a new president it’s already more than familiar with.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.