ESPN NEXT Leadership

Nick Aconfora is a Senior Manager with the NEXT Leadership team. Over his seven years with NEXT, Nick has grown through multiple leadership roles, beginning as a Coordinator at the program’s launch before advancing to Associate Manager, Manager, and ultimately Senior Manager. In his current role, he co-leads the NEXT hiring strategy and oversees assignment placement and performance feedback for all of the program’s participants.

Before joining the NEXT Leadership team in 2019, Nick served as a Production Assistant and Content Associate for nearly four years. During his time in production, he contributed to College Football, College Basketball, SportsCenter, Outside the Lines, and E:60. His work earned industry recognition, including a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports News/Feature Anthology with E:60 and a Peabody Award for storytelling excellence with Outside the Lines.

A proud Connecticut native, Nick earned his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Connecticut State University and his master’s degree from Central Connecticut State University. He now teaches multiple courses across both schools, fueling his passion for developing the next generation of early-career professionals in sports media.

Nick now resides in West Hartford with his wife and their two four‑legged friends, Penny, and Zuko.