Connor Schell

Executives and Other Personnel

Vice President and Executive Producer, ESPN Films and Original Content

Connor Schell, Vice president and Executive Producer, ESPN Films and Original Content, oversees all development and production for ESPN Films and ESPN’s digital storytelling franchises, as well as oversight of the annual award show, The ESPYS.  Schell also oversees the ESPN/Tribeca Sports Film Festival, ESPN’s Home Entertainment group, and the programming strategy for the ESPN Classic network.

He is the Executive Producer and co-creator of the 30 for 30 series, 30 for 30 Shorts (through a collaboration with Grantland.com), and the upcoming 30 for 30: Soccer Stories, 30 for 30: College Football Stories.  He also serves as the Executive Producer of the SEC Storied series and Nine for IX Shorts.  Past projects include 30 for 30 vol. 1 and Nine for IX.  In his time at ESPN, Schell has produced more than 60 feature length documentary films.

Schell is also currently serving as an Executive Producer of the upcoming Walt Disney studio film Million Dollar Arm, along with Grandland.com’s Bill Simmons.

The Emmy-nominated 30 for 30 series earned a Peabody Award in 2010, along with a Producers Guild Award for Outstanding Sports Program and an IDA Documentary Award for Best Continuing Series in 2010.  The ESPN Films program Black Magic also received a Peabody Award in 2008, and The 16^th Man (one of the 30 for 30 Vol I Films) received the prestigious Television Academy Honors Award in 2010.  In 2013, 30 for 30 Shorts won the Webby Award for Best Documentary Series, and Ghosts of Ole Miss won an Edward R. Murrow Unity Award.

In 2012, Schell was named one of Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” as well as Multichannel News’ “40 Under 40”, both identifying the most promising young executives in sports business.

Before being promoted to his current position, Schell was the Executive Producer of the 30 for 30 series from 2007-2011, which he helped to create. Previously, he was Senior Director, Program Development, ESPN Original Entertainment where he handled the general development of documentaries and scripted/unscripted series and before that he was Director, Programming Strategy.

Schell earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Harvard University and a Masters in Business Administration with a focus in Media and Entertainment from Columbia University.  He lives in New York with his wife and children.

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