Fox Sports Executive Cohen Resigns : Television: Vice president says of her surprise decision to leave, ‘It’s time to move on to other opportunities.’

Kathryn “Kitty” Cohen, who as vice president and general manager of Fox Sports West and West 2 was one of the higher-ranking female executives in sports television, abruptly resigned Wednesday.

“It’s a sad day for me,” Cohen said. “I love this place. I put 12 years of my life into it.”

Cohen, coming from Denver, joined the regional sports network in January 1988, when it was Prime Ticket. She was hired by owner Bill Daniels as the financial controller.

She subsequently was promoted to vice president of finance and chief financial officer. Five years ago, before Fox took over, Cohen was promoted to head of the network.

John Severino, who became president of Prime Ticket when Cohen was hired, said, “Kitty is very capable and has a great financial mind. She was very instrumental in the success we had at Prime Ticket.”

Cohen said, “I’ve done what I can do here; it’s time to move on to other opportunities.”

Under Cohen, Fox Sports West and West 2 locked up long-terms deals with all of the major local professional sports teams. Also, Fox Sports West became available in more than 5 million homes and a second network, Fox Sports West 2, was launched.

Insiders says Fox can be a tough place for a female executive, but Cohen’s resignation came as a surprise. She was popular among employees at Fox Sports West and among local team executives.

“It’s just time; let’s leave it at that,” she said. “I have nothing bad to say about this place.

“My experience here enriched my life, and I will miss the strong relationships with the local teams and my wonderful staff.”

Fox recently promoted Jon Heidtke, the general manager of Fox Sports Southwest in Dallas, to senior vice president in charge of the Fox Sports Net western regional networks, including Fox Sports West and West 2. But it was not clear if that move had anything to do with Cohen’s resignation.

Jeff Shell, president of Fox Sports cable, said, “Kitty played a critical role in building this network, and we appreciate her contributions.”

Cohen, the mother of two children, said she plans to take some time off but hopes to be back in the workplace sometime soon.