Steve Ackels joined ESPN in August 1998, and is currently a vice president, production, where he oversees production of ESPN’s portfolio of NFL games. In March 2023, Ackels was also named producer for Monday Night Football, the eighth producer in sports media’s longest-running series. 

Having been at ESPN for over two decades, Ackels has held many roles; starting as a production assistant, associate producer, producer and coordinating producer in event production. His work spans across several properties, including college football, college baseball, college basketball, X Games and the NFL Draft.  

Ackels and his Monday Night Football production partner, director Derek Mobley, have been director and producer teammates on many events, including multiple years as a college basketball tandem both in the regular season and for the SEC Men’s Tournament. Ackels also teamed with Mobley for the College World Series and various golf events. 

Most recently, Ackels oversaw all production within ESPN’s college football portfolio and Monday Night Football. In that role he had oversight of the College Football Playoff National Championship and Semifinals, all bowl games, and ESPN’s NFL postseason games. Ackels was in the same role for this season’s launch of the XFL. 

Ackels has earned numerous Sports Emmy awards in his career. 

Prior to joining ESPN, he was a marketing manager at the Century Club of San Diego for the Buick Invitational (1996-1998), and a production assistant for MPP Productions (1994-1996).  

Ackels graduated from Roger Williams University, in Bristol, R.I., with a Bachelor of Science in communications in 1994.