David Rone joined Time Warner Cable as President of TWC Sports in May 2011. In this role, Mr. Rone provides leadership in strengthening the company’s position as a content provider with the sports community and oversees sports programming and existing sports channels. He also will lead Time Warner Cable’s new regional sports networks, featuring the Los Angeles Lakers, that will debut with the team’s 2012-13 season.
In addition, Mr. Rone is involved in fostering relationships with sports leagues, conferences, teams, programming providers and others to enhance Time Warner Cable’s sports products and will also lead the coordination of Time Warner Cable’s sports sponsorship and marketing initiatives . He reports to Melinda Witmer, Executive Vice President and Chief Video and Content Officer.
Mr. Rone, who has deep experience in all facets of the sports business, was previously with Evolution Media Capital (EMC), a boutique investment-banking firm for the media and sports industries formed in partnership with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), an entertainment and sports agency. As part of the firm’s sports media advisory leadership team, he provided strategic analysis, valuation and negotiation of media rights and regional sports network planning and operational strategy for the firm’s clients, which include, among others, professional sports leagues and teams and college conferences.
Prior to joining EMC, Mr. Rone served as co-head of CAA Sports, which represents more than 650 of the world’s top athletes and sports professionals and advises many leading sports organizations. Previously, Mr. Rone served as Executive Vice President of Fox Sports Networks and General Manager for Fox College Sports. Before joining Fox in 1999, he spent nine years at the Walt Disney Co., most recently as Vice President, Business Development for Corporate Alliances. He started his career as a corporate attorney.
Recently, Mr. Rone was named a board member of the new National Foundation on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition by Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. He also is a trustee of Tufts University and serves as chairman of the Board of Advisors for the School of Arts & Sciences at Tufts. In addition, he is a member of the board of directors of the L.A. Sports & Entertainment Commission and The Northwestern Law Board.
Mr. Rone has been recognized with many honors, including being named to the list of the “50 Most Powerful African-Americans in Sports” by Black Enterprise, and the “101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports” by Sports Illustrated.
Mr. Rone, who lives in Los Angeles, received a B.A. in Economics from Tufts University, Medford, Mass., and a J.D. from the Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago.
Time Warner Cable is among the largest providers of video, high-speed data and phone services in the U.S., and connects more than 14 million residential and commercial customers to entertainment, information and each other.
Last updated: May 2011
