Disney's previous tech executive, Aaron LaBerge, appointed as Chief Technology Officer at PENN.
Aaron LaBerge, a seasoned technology executive with an impressive career at Disney and ESPN, has been appointed as the new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at PENN Entertainment, effective July 1. In his new role, LaBerge will drive the company's technology strategy and execution, working closely with Todd George, PENN's head of operations, and the entire executive team.
LaBerge's extensive experience in the sports media and technology industry is expected to help PENN Entertainment grow its position in the gambling and sports media sector. He has been instrumental in the growth of consumer-facing digital media products and services at ESPN, creating some of the largest scale and most successful media properties in the world.
At Disney, LaBerge served as the CTO for the Direct-To-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment, overseeing technology for Disney’s broad consumer streaming and international businesses. His work at ESPN focused on integrating sports content and developing innovative features for ESPN Bet, including the launch of ESPN Bet's FanCenter, a personalized betting hub integrated with fantasy sports aimed to enhance user engagement and product differentiation.
Before joining PENN Entertainment, LaBerge played a crucial role in advancing the technology strategies that merged ESPN’s content with bettor experiences. He was involved in creating smoother integration between the ESPN app and ESPN Bet, eliminating friction points to improve user experience across platforms. His leadership contributed to ESPN Bet's strategy to target the platform’s 13 million fantasy players with personalized player parlays and interactive features designed to boost customer retention and betting volume.
At PENN Entertainment, which operates ESPN Bet, LaBerge will bring this deep expertise to enhance their sportsbook product, focusing on technology-driven differentiation such as the innovative FanCenter feature. This new technology aims to leverage ESPN’s fantasy sports audience to grow PENN’s sportsbook market share through personalized, fantasy-related betting offerings.
LaBerge has overseen a global organization of thousands of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists. He is excited to join PENN Entertainment and intends to redefine how fans interact with sports and gaming. The PENN team aims to push the limits in the sports fan experience, with LaBerge's experience from Disney and ESPN set to help make ESPN BET an essential piece of the sports fan experience.
Jay Snowden, PENN's president and chief executive officer, has welcomed LaBerge to the PENN executive team, expressing confidence that he is the best candidate to lead PENN's Technology and Interactive division. As CTO, LaBerge will lead a multinational team of technologists and serve as the key business leader for PENN's interactive division.
LaBerge's career trajectory highlights his significant contributions to the convergence of sports content, streaming technology, and interactive sports betting before his current executive role at PENN Entertainment. His appointment is set to bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to PENN Entertainment, further solidifying its position in the sports media and gambling sector.
- Aaron LaBerge's substantial experience in sports media and technology, demonstrated by his work at ESPN and Disney, will likely contribute to PENN Entertainment's growth in the gambling and sports media business, as he focuses on technology-driven differentiation like the FanCenter feature.
- As the new Chief Technology Officer at PENN Entertainment, Aaron LaBerge will leverage his expertise in finance, business, and technology to lead the interactive division, overseeing a multinational team of technologists, and driving the company's technology strategy and execution, with the aim of redefining the sports fan experience, particularly through ESPN BET.
