Key new hires bring expertise from entertainment and traditional
sports sectors to support strategic marketing, commercialization, and
business-planning initiatives
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 15, 2018--
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.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180315005291/en/
Source: Activision Blizzard, Inc.
Overwatch League
Mark Van Lommel, 949-955-1380 x61147
MVanLommel@overwatchleague.com
or
Call
of Duty World League
Xav de Matos, 949-955-1380 x66624
xdematos@mlg.tv
or
Activision
Blizzard, Inc.
Press
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