ESPN has elevated Flora Kelly to the position of senior vice president of the network’s research team. “Under Flora’s leadership, ESPN Research is a go-to resource for sports insights and measurement for the company and across the industry,” said Chara-Lynn Aguiar, ESPN executive vice president and chief financial officer, in a statement. “The consistent high-quality work performed by Flora and her team ensures that we fulfill our mission to serve sports fans anytime, anywhere, as well as continue our evolution as the preeminent digital sports platform.”
Aguiar added, “On a personal level, Flora truly exemplifies the ESPN growth story, beginning her career as a research analyst and progressing over the years while succeeding in every role. We are extremely lucky to have Flora on, and leading, our team.” Kelly had been serving as vice president of ESPN Research since 2023. During her tenure, she spearheaded numerous initiatives to equip various network teams with dependable data and insights, concurrently embracing forward-thinking measurement strategies aimed at expanding and diversifying ESPN’s audiences.
As the media landscape undergoes continuous transformation, Kelly’s team is poised to play a pivotal role in assisting ESPN in redefining how success is measured and comprehended across diverse platforms, according to the announcement. “As media and fandom continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the role of research has never been more critical- or more exciting,” said Kelly in the statement. “I’m thrilled to lead this incredible team as we continue to innovate how we understand our audiences, anticipate behavior and define success in this rapidly evolving media landscape.”
Since joining ESPN in 2006, Kelly has been involved in a wide array of initiatives and projects related to research, measurement, insights, and analytics. Kelly is an alumna of Hofstra University and holds a master’s degree in social research from Hunter College.