Activision Blizzard Expands Esports Leadership Team
15 March 2018 - 11:00PM
Business Wire
Key new hires bring expertise from
entertainment and traditional sports sectors to support strategic
marketing, commercialization, and business-planning initiatives
Today Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), announced
that it has filled three key esports leadership roles for
Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues. Daniel Cherry has
joined as chief marketing officer, Marc Kolin has come on
board as vice president of finance & strategy, and Brandon
Snow has been tapped for the role of chief revenue officer. The
three bring a wealth of experience from traditional sports,
entertainment, and venue management, and will be supporting several
esports goals and initiatives, from viewership and brand awareness
(Cherry) to financial oversight and reporting (Kolin) to
commercialization and corporate partnerships (Snow).
“We’re committed to maintaining the highest degree of excellence
and professionalism in our operation, as well as creating value for
our fans, players, and partners with every aspect of our leagues,
and the addition of Daniel, Marc, and Brandon to our management
team reflects the depth of that commitment,” said Pete Vlastelica,
president & CEO of Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues and
Major League Gaming. “I’m thrilled that these three talented
organizational leaders are bringing their years of sports and
entertainment experience to our team, and I look forward to working
with each of them to further drive our ambitious marketing,
commercialization, and business-planning initiatives.”
Daniel Cherry brings over 20 years of marketing
experience to this new role, most recently serving as chief
marketing and innovation officer for the New Jersey Devils and the
Prudential Center, where he oversaw all marketing/sales strategy,
branding, and innovation, as well as being a part of the senior
leadership team that supported business operations across multiple
professional sports and esports teams. “The
company’s innovative approaches
to supporting its brands across pop culture is
evident in iconic franchises like Blizzard’s
Overwatch® and Activision’s Call of Duty®, where both
celebrate their communities in unique ways beyond the games, as
entertainment platforms, and as distinct professional
leagues,” said Cherry. “The company’s desire to revolutionize
the modern sports and entertainment landscape resonates deeply with
me, as it does with the millions of passionate fans who make
up their global esports communities. I’m looking forward to
supporting these efforts by celebrating these professional players
and growing the esports fan base worldwide.”
Marc Kolin comes most recently from NBC Universal, where
he was responsible for all analytics, financial planning and
analysis, strategic initiatives, and back-of-house accounting for
Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park in Los Angeles. Prior to
that, he worked in business development for both the National
Football League and the National Basketball Association. “It’s an
exciting time to join the great organization behind both the
Overwatch League and Call of Duty World League,” said Kolin. “The
teams have already done an extraordinary amount of work to achieve
such great results, and there is much more to come as we strive to
reach the widest possible audiences and drive long-term growth. I’m
pleased to be able to work with Pete, Daniel, Brandon, and the rest
of the team to help reach that incredible potential.”
Brandon Snow is coming over from the National Basketball
Association, where as senior vice president of team marketing &
business operations (TMBO) he was primarily focused on supporting
all NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League teams across all aspects of their
business operations, including ticket sales and service,
sponsorship, marketing, digital, and data strategy. Prior to his
role in TMBO, he was SVP, Global Marketing Partnerships at NBA
China where he oversaw the partnership sales and activation
business for the entity. “The Overwatch League has made great
headway in attracting top-notch partners from the technology,
automotive, communications, and food and beverage industries, and
I’m excited to contribute to that ongoing effort and Blizzard’s
full stable of legendary esports titles as well as support similar
opportunities for the Call of Duty World League,” said Snow. “I was
personally attracted to the strong sense of integrity and
commitment to quality here—both of which are reflected in the
production and operation of each of the leagues, and which make for
a powerful and appealing brand experience for potential new
partners.”
About Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard, Inc., a member of the Fortune 500 and
S&P 500, is the world's most successful standalone interactive
entertainment company. We delight hundreds of millions of monthly
active users around the world through franchises including
Activision's Call of Duty®, Destiny, and Skylanders®; Blizzard
Entertainment's World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Hearthstone®,
Diablo®, StarCraft®, and Heroes of the Storm®; and King's Candy
Crush™, Pet Rescue™, Bubble Witch™, and Farm Heroes™. The company
is one of the Fortune "100 Best Companies to Work For®."
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision
Blizzard has operations throughout the world, and its games
are played in 196 countries. More information about Activision
Blizzard and its products can be found on the company's
website, www.activisionblizzard.com.
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