Emmy Award-winning producer Scott Ackerson will serve as interim president of Speed, stepping in for the departing Hunter Nickell, starting in the new year.
Ackerson, who will assume the leadership position that has been held by Nickell on Jan. 1, currently serves as executive vice president and executive producer for Fox Sports Media Group, where will continue in that role. He previously was coordinating producer for Fox NFL Sunday.
Nickell announced last week that he will be leaving the network, which has grown to 84 million subscribers under his watch since 2005. He will finish several projects at Speed over the next few months and continue to explore opportunities within the Fox Sports Media Group.
"We're fortunate to have someone in-house with Scott's production and leadership skills ready to step in as interim president at Speed," said Fox Sports Media Group chairman David Hill in a statement. "Moving forward, every program at Speed has to be of the same high quality you'd find on Fox Sports, and Scott can make that happen. In addition to overseeing all of Fox Sports' studio production, Scott led the most successful, most-watched, NFL pregame show for 17 years, and his many talents will benefit Speed on-air immediately."
Noted Ackerman: "I'm looking forward to building upon what the Speed team already has started and creating shows that resonate with the viewer."
