Arrivederci: ESPN Communications Head Chris LaPlaca Retires After 43 Years

EDITOR’S NOTE: In 10 days, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Chris LaPlaca completes an unparalleled 43-year career at ESPN. Since joining ESPN in July 1980 – less than a year after graduating from St. Bonaventure University – as a do-it-all communications representative, LaPlaca has helped steer the company’s growth from an upstart operating out of a Bristol, Conn,, trailer into a global media powerhouse. Through the decades, LaPlaca has been passionate about telling ESPN’s story both internally and externally. It’s only fitting that our masterful storyteller shares one more anecdote – his – before putting his sterling career to bed.

To me, this was the quintessential line from a movie oft-quoted even today, and it resonates with me at this stage in my life for a variety of reasons. On Dec. 31, I will retire from ESPN after more than 43 years in Bristol and beyond (with apologies to a classic Disney character, Buzz Lightyear).

More than 43 years come at you fast when you reach the end. And after a professional lifetime of relentlessly looking ahead, you are forced to look around – and back – to try to make sense of the jumble of emotions that, no matter how hard you try, inevitably envelop you.

Let me make this clear up top: I feel blessed in so many ways and have been in a perpetual state of immense gratitude for some time now.

The reasons for that are many.

I had an epiphany the other day, spurred by so many people telling me stories of a moment in time we shared that is still vibrant in their hearts and minds. It finally occurred to me: I have been so incredibly fortunate that my work demands I enter people’s lives during intensely personal moments of great consternation, anticipation, or celebration for them. And my job, and my team’s job, is to make those moments better or to amplify them.

What an absolute gift to have made a difference in the lives of friends and colleagues for more than four decades. And I am grateful to have been part of an exceptional, selfless Comms team that lives that ethos 24/7.

Also, there is this: Not many people, in any industry, are afforded the opportunity to join an organization on the absolute ground floor, at a time of extreme anonymity, and help it grow to become the clear leader in its field, a meaningful presence in the lives of hundreds of millions of people. But, incredibly, that’s my story!

How fortunate to have helped steer ESPN through all of its various stages: the immediate skepticism (Who has cable TV? 24/7sports is a dumb idea!) … the growing acceptance (SportsCenter is great! We can watch all the NCAA hoop tourney games now!)…the accelerated arrival (we signed an NFL deal at eight-years-old)…the day Disney came to Bristol and turbocharged our trajectory (“we know how to build brands”…today, the Disney difference is real and a massive advantage)…the period of rapid expansion (internet, radio, print, digital, social and everything else that screams “multi-platform”)…the moment we shifted from “little engine that could” to clear industry leader (and the intense scrutiny and accountability that comes with it, which is all good)…the constant focus on disrupting ourselves before we become disrupted (an under-appreciated strategy which has been effective for us our entire existence; we see it today in the pivot to streaming)…the unparalleled scale in reaching fans wherever they are (our Mission Statement is elegant in its power and simplicity: Serve Sports Fans. Anytime. Anywhere. Boom!).

Appreciate @espn Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications Chris LaPlaca for the message this morning.. #LifeBeyondTheGame pic.twitter.com/TmGwuHJVSu

— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) April 4, 2018

When I speak to college students, I tell them they won’t be me. Who works at the same company their entire career? But then I tell them that while I’ve had the same work address, I haven’t worked for the same place from one year to the next because of ESPN’s obsessive devotion to innovation and evolution. It’s an intoxicating environment. I’ve been surrounded by bold, creative, innovative, hard-working, collaborative, passionate, kind – and just plain fun! – colleagues my entire time here. I’ve often said that all media companies appear the same – studios, cameras, laptops, offices, cubes, conference rooms – until the people show up. The people of ESPN are exceptional.

None of this is to suggest that every day has been sunshine here. We’ve had plenty of rainy days, and this year is no exception for lots of reasons – layoffs, business challenges, competition everywhere (as always!). We all get knocked down sometimes. How do you get back up?

This place embraces the “hard” like no other. It’s resilient. The culture and the people of ESPN over four-plus decades have made me a better and stronger person, hopefully, a better husband, dad, brother, and friend …because of all I have learned and stolen from so many who approach the world from a different perspective.

I’m not leaving because of my job – I am still energized to come to work every day. Another gift! I’m blessed to be a “girl dad” three times, and my two younger daughters are on the cusp of college searches. I don’t want to miss a minute of what’s next for them before they leave our home.

ESPN has had many reunions over the years, and I have always been struck by the laughter, the enthusiastic storytelling (for the 1000th time, but it never gets old!), the genuine affection and joy that radiates from being together again – no matter the circumstances of one’s departure. That’s special. I’ve lived a shared experience that no one can truly feel or intimately understand unless you have been a part of it. We built and nurtured an iconic brand from scratch!

And now I will be attending those reunions from the other side, and already I can’t wait. Because Ferris Bueller got it almost right, it’s not that I could miss it.

I will miss it.