| The 86th annual NFL Draft will take place April 29-May 1 in Cleveland at locations including FirstEnergy Stadium, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center. A select number of prospects will take the stage with fans, media, NFL Network, ESPN and ABC crews on-site as the league welcomes its new rookie class. Building on the success of last year’s virtual Draft, additional prospects will also participate in the festivities from their homes around the country. “We are thrilled to be heading to Cleveland for the NFL Draft, which has become of the most highly anticipated events in sports,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business & League Events. “Just months after executing a safe and successful Super Bowl LV, we look forward to bringing the excitement of our Draft traditions to fans in collaboration with the Browns, Destination Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, the City of Cleveland and all our local Cleveland partners.” The NFL Draft Main Stage will serve as the central hub for Draft activities, including where pick announcements will be made by Commissioner Goodell and other special guests. In addition to picks being made in Cleveland, the NFL and clubs will partner to make selections from across the country on Day 3.
PROGRAMMING
CBS Sports has acquired the United States broadcast rights to Serie A for the 2021-24 cycle in a deal reported to be valued at $200m. The Italian top-ranked soccer league has been broadcast on ESPN in the US since the 2018-2019 season, mainly via ESPN+. That deal ends at the close of the 2020-21 campaign.
MLB Network’s Intentional Talk finally named its new co-host. Stephen Nelson, who has guest co-hosted since joining the network in 2018, joins Kevin Millar in his official role on Thursday, March 25 at 7p. Intentional Talk will lead off MLB Network’s live opening day programming on Thursday, April 1, with a special edition at 9a, before settling into its regular daily 5p slot on Friday, April 2.
House of Athlete: Going Pro debuts Wednesday, March 24 at 5:30p on FS1. The six-part docuseries goes beyond the sidelines with young athletes sharing their NFL dreams in unprecedented times, where college seasons have been cut short, bowl games cancelled and the NFL Combine called off. Former NFL star and co-host of FS1’s First Things First, Brandon Marshall, will enlist some of his NFL family to lead athletes in this transition as they prepare for the NFL Draft at HOA, Marshall’s new state-of-the-art fitness facility in South Florida.
Two-time world champion Nathan Chen headlines NBC Sports’ live coverage of the 2021 World Figure Skating Championships, beginning Wednesday, March 24 across NBC, NBCSN and Peacock. Live coverage of the ladies’ short programming kicks off at 5a on Peacock and NBCSN at 9a, followed by the pairs’ short program live on Peacock at 1p.
Telemundo Deportes kicks off its Road to Quatar 2022 with the most extensive Spanish-language coverage of CONCACAF FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Throughout the first round, nine matches will be live streamed exclusively on Peacock Premium, beginning with Guatemala hosting Cuba live on Wednesday, March 24 at 8p. The service’s match coverage will be highlighted by Puerto Rico vs. Trinidad & Tobato and Montserrat vs. El Salvador live streaming on Sunday, March 28 at 5p and 6p. In addition, three matches will be simulcast live on Universo, TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo Deportes app.
ESPN+, ESPN2 and ESPN3 begins coverage of the European qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup with 75 matches beginning Wednesday, March 24 through Wednesday, March 31. Of the scheduled matches, 40 will feature teams in the top 25 of the current FIFA Men’s World Rankings. ESPN+ will exclusively stream 32 matches from top 25 teams. ESPN3 will stream five matches, while ESPN2 will televise three, including the U.S. Men’s Nation Team opposite Jamaica on March 25.
MLB.TV has launched on Xfinity Flex devices. Internet customers with Flex can now catch all the action of the upcoming Major League Baseball season via the MLB app and MLB.TV. Additionally, they’ll have access to MLB.TV’s expanded library of programming featuring documentaries, classic games and more.
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SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION
VP Racing Fuels joined Superstar Racing Experience as an official supplier to the six-race short-track series, debuting this summer on Saturday nights on CBS. It will provide fuel to the series’ fleet of racecars as well as its StayFrosty Performance Coolant, 622 Racing Brake Fluid and its Power line of appearance products. “This partnership with SRX strengthens our commitment to motorsports while showcasing our line of retail products,” said Bruce Hendel, Vice President of North American Sales – Race Fuel and Consumer Products for VP Racing Fuels. “We aim to meet the needs of racers and consumers alike, and SRX provides an excellent platform to reach both of these groups with compelling, primetime events on CBS.”
Online eyewear industry leader Zenni is upping its commitment to put an end to bullying through a partnership with the No Hate Tour, an educational initiative that empowers students, staff and family members to promote positive school climates and take a stand against hate. Zenni will sponsor the No Hate Spring Tour, reaching students at 42 high schools across the country, through a series of virtual assemblies featuring celebrities sharing their own personal stories related to bullying and inclusion. Two of Zenni’s brand ambassadors, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and Chicago Bulls point guard Coby White, are part of the star-studded roster.
Members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame family are partnering with Centene to increase education and awareness around COVID-19 vaccines through a series of 15, 30 and 60-second public service announcements, with a particular focus on communities of color. Darrell Green, Anthony Munoz, Aeneas Williams and Drew Pearson, along with HOF selector and TV broadcaster Lisa Salters deliver the message that the vaccines protect not only the recipient, but also their friends and family.
Tappit, a global payment and data ecosystem for sports, events, stadiums and venues, struck a multi-year partnership with the Cincinnati Reds. The partnership will help the Reds safely bring fans back to Great American Ball Park for the 2021 baseball season via the implementation of contactless mobile payment technology.
DIGITAL, DATA & TECH
GameCo LLC announced a new round of financing and strategic investment, following the expansion of its business into the digital casino and esports betting space, that will accelerate the growth of its arcade-style games, iGaming and eSports betting businesses. The move solidifies GameCo’s position as the company that’s reimagining the traditional casino floor. This funding round was co-led by new investors Playtech and Spring Owl, validating Game-Co’s vision to help physical and digital casino operators reach a new younger demographic of players.
PrizePicks has partnered with leading withdrawal marketplace Prizeout. The move will allow PrizePicks members to convert their winnings to digital currency and access it faster and at a higher value, as well as spend with a variety of leading retailers and brands. It marks the first relationship of its kind between a Daily Fantasy Sports operator and a withdrawal marketplace. “The last thing any platform wants to do is dampen a dynamic customer experience on the backend fulfillment,” said PrizePicks CEO Adam Wexler. “Prizeout is addressing an issue that every DFS operator, legalized gambling sites like FanDuel or DraftKings, and even emerging NFT marketplaces like NBA Top Shot should be thinking about.”
IMG Arena, the distributor of betting data for the PGA Tour, secured an agreement with BetMGM to provide the online sportsbook with live streams of PGA Tour events and shot-by-shot data to power in-play wagers. As per the pact’s terms, BetMGM now has rights to access IMG Arena’s golf-centric sports betting platform, Gold Event Center. It will utilize the platform’s video feed to livestream two par-3 holes per week for users who place bets on the PGA Tour.
 ESPORTS
Allied Esports has teamed up with Xsens to bring live animated casters to a professional esports tournament production for the first time. Via the use of Xsen’s MVN motion capture systems, Allied Esports will transform it tournament casters into animated characters. The exclusively designed live motion avatars will provide fans with an engaging viewing experience and create unique opportunities for brand and product integration. “As gaming and esports viewership continues to grow, we need to push the boundaries of competitive content to provide new and engaging viewing experiences or our audiences and partners,” said Jud Hannigan, CEO of Allied Esports. “We’re thrilled to make history again with the Legend Series and use Xsens’ innovative motion capture animation technology to create a first-of-its-kind broadcast experience in esports.” The three-day CS:GO Legend Series tournament will be produced out of Allied Esports’ AE Studios in Hamburg, Germany from April 10-12 and be live-streamed on Allied Exports’ North American and European Twitch channels.
Ryan Fitzpatrick has been named Senior Vice President of Strategy at Esports technology company Vindex. He joins from media company NCompass International, where served as Senior Vice President and Head of Gaming and Esports.
NBA 2K League team Magic Gaming has added Zipchair Gaming as a new partner. As per the deal’s terms, the brand will help furnish Magic Gaming’s newly renovated studio in Orlando, FL. Zipchair Gaming chairs will also be into all of the team’s other facilities, including its gaming studio, content hub, offices and player housing.
Elo Entertainment launched TrackLoL, a new website that provides analytics for League of Legends. It provides a range of data around the game, like live-match experience and prediction leaderboards. The website also features a proprietary rating system for ranking teams in each competitive region, live win probabilities that adjust with match progress, and a predictions leaderboard that lets fans compete against one another.
Kinguin has partnered with Plearn, a new community gaming platform where players can join events and compete in a variety of challenges to win prizes. The collaboration stems from Kinguin’s long-standing friendship with CS:GO pro Maikelele, who founded Plearn, and the desire to give back to the CS:GO community. Plearn will host weekly Kinguin-branded challenges, where top winners will be granted Kinguin gift card and a number of participants will receive Kinguin discount codes. The first event takes place Thursday, March 25 with Maikelele on hand to live stream challenges.
INDUSTRY & ROSTER MOVES
Sportradar has entered an agreement to acquire Synergy Sports, a company that specializes in data and video analytics in the US college and professional sports space. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021, subject to conditions and approvals. The move extends Sportradar’s production suite and its goal to broaden its relationships with sports organizations globally. Sportradar is an official partner of the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB.
New York Knicks forward Julius Randle has been fined $15,000 for directing inappropriate language toward a game official and public criticism of the officiating. The on-court incident occurred at the end of the Knicks’ 101-100 overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on March 21 at Madison Square Garden. Randle made his public comments on the officiating during his postgame media session.
Following bracket-busting upsets in its first two rounds of the Men’s Bracket, the ESPN Tournament Challenge Second Chance game is underway. Any fan seeking a fresh start can choose the winners for the remaining 15 men’s tournament games and have a chance to win a $5000 Amazon gift card. Meanwhile, participation in the ESPN Women’s Tournament Challenge presented by Capital One more than doubled since 2019, growing +103%.
Tom Brady joins Formula One champion Sir Lewis Hamilton in new video, Talking Big. From Switch Watch Company IWC Schaffhausen, the video is hosted by James Corden and features Brady and Hamilton discussing their careers, outlooks on life and what they still hope to achieve.
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[ JUST ANNOUNCED FOR 2021]
TOP WOMEN IN MEDIA
BRIGHT. BOLD. UNSTOPPABLE.
Cynopsis is gearing up to recognize the Top Women – trailblazers who are pushing the industry forward, while empowering & inspiring others. We’re looking for innovators, risk-takers and those instrumental in executing strategy.
It’s an opportunity to nominate yourself or a colleague who stands out in the space.
[
NOMINATE BY 4/6 ]
(sponsored by Turnkey Search) |
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On this Day
1973: San Francisco 49er’s president Lou Spadia proposed the NFL expand to 30 teams.
IN THE KNOW
Which boxer was known as “The Mongoose”? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city).
Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question
Martina Navratilova won 21 Doubles majors with which partner? Answer: Pam Shriver. Kudos to: Mike May-R2 Innovative Technologies/Wellington, FL; Michael Ritz-Lenox Advisors/NYC; Rick Ramage-UTA/Bedford, NY; Denis Barry-CBS/NY; Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Boca Raton, FL; Jack Simmons-US Army Reserve/LA; Andy Pittman-TAMU/College Station, TX; Peter Steckelman-Tennis Channel/Santa Monica, CA; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank, CA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/Los Angeles, CA.
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FREELANCE MANAGER, MULTI-PLATFOMR ANALYTICS >>
ViacomCBS – MTV ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/NYC, NY: Apply linear and digital Analytics across the MTV Entertainment Group portfolio to optimize content strategy across platforms and brands. Synthesize insights from every available data source in order to provide expert guidance on where content will best find its intended target. 3-5 years of related experience with Nielsen competence required. Full info HERE (4/6)
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE >>
FUTURE TODAY INC/NYC/CHICAGO: Build, maintain and expand a pipeline of sales targets, contacts, and sales opportunities leveraging your relationships. Well-versed in CTV; direct & programmatic. Kids space knowledge preferred. The company is growing and looking for motivated people with experience selling across one or more of these categories: CTV, OTT, OLV, Linear TV. Full info HERE (4/6)
SR DEVELOPMENT PRODUCER >>
AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA GROUP/ST PAUL, NYC, LA, REMOTE: Manage production and development of new podcasts, creating and commissioning sustainable, high quality shows. Pitch new show ideas, angles on stories, and create plans for how a new show or season will sound and be structured. 5-7 years of media production and/or content development, ideally in audio required. Full info HERE (4/6)
COORDINATOR, BRAND MARKETING >>
CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS/LA, CA: Responsible for supporting the implementation of advertising campaigns, marketing partnerships, promotions, sweepstakes, experiential events, creative development & email marketing initiatives. Min 1yr of marketing exp within the entertainment industry. Full info HERE (4/4)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER APM STUDIOS >>
AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA GROUP/ ST PAUL, NYC, LA, REMOTE: Lead production of APM Studios’ existing tentpole franchises, create and manage budgets and lead recruitment and development of senior staff, including hosts when applicable. 10 years’ relevant experience in content development and audio production, including 3-5 years at management/supervisory level required. Full info HERE (4/4)
FREELANCE ANALYST, CONTENT & BRAND INSIGHTS >>
MTV ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/NYC/NY: Implementation and analysis of owned & syndicated research strategy for Scripted, Comedic & Original Movie content. Monitor, interpret and compile findings from various research sources and disseminate it to key partners. Experience with qualitative and quantitative research techniques required. Full info HERE (4/4)
FREELANCE MANAGER, CONSUMER INSIGHTS ANALYTICS >>
MTV ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/NYC/NY: Analyze marketing efforts, determining promotional planning effectiveness, and providing insights to inform future marketing campaigns. Set up, track, pull and analyze data on multi-platform marketing and promotional planning campaigns and initiatives. 3-5 years of related experience (TV ratings and Nielsen measurement currency) required. Full info HERE (4/4)
DIRECTOR, CONTENT INSIGHTS >>
MTV ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/NYC/NY: Conceptualize and conduct proprietary quantitative and qualitative studies focused on targeted audience needs as well as more general cultural trends. Improve multi-platform performance of key franchises; 7+ years of related research experience, including Marketing, Creative and Content Research required. Full info HERE (4/4)
CURATOR >>
THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA/NYC/NY: Develop events, series, festivals, exhibits that are topical, culturally relevant, impactful and inclusive. In depth knowledge of history and current trends to conduct research and generate weekly reports. 8+ years managerial experience of a content collection in a research library, archive, museum, or related setting. Full info HERE (4/2)
DIGITAL MEDIA PLANNER >>
BLUE PLATE MEDIA SERVICES/ SUMMIT NJ: Day-to-day planning, executing and management of Digital and Social Media campaigns. Evaluate digital media, social platforms and advertising products and manage the RFP process. Strong ability to use and interpret analytical data and arrive at sound conclusions. 5+ years Digital and Social Media marketing experience required. Full info HERE (4/2)
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING & PARTNER INSIGHTS >>
ViacomCBS/NY, NY: Partner and liaise with senior sales management on brand strategy and positioning. Measure the efficiency of traditional and non-traditional advertising campaigns and author and present consumer-focused research on brands, generations, trend and categories. 10+ years’ experience in media or consumer research required. Full info HERE (4/2)
DIRECTOR, DIGITAL SCHEDULING >>
PBS DISTRIBUTION/ARLINGTON VA: Lead PBSd’s digital scheduling function to support our growing distribution business across VOD, streaming and educational platforms by ensuring accurate, on-time content launches. Direct day-to-day activities of the scheduling team and execute on content release plans. 7-10 years’ experience in Content Scheduling/Programming required. Full info HERE (3/31)
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER, MEDIA & LABOR ECONOMICS >>
SAG-AFTRA/NY or LA: Conduct financial statement and operating analyses of publicly-held companies. Research, analyze and identify the implications for internal clients. Comprehensive understanding of micro- and macro-economics principles and have an understanding and awareness of worker rights impacting SAG-AFTRA members. Full info HERE (3/31)
PROJECT MANAGER, CREATIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS >>
ViacomCBS/NY/CA/REMOTE: Lead and track multiple creative projects and timelines simultaneously, work with agencies and marketing teams to assess initial requests for information, project parameters and priority scheduling. Significant experience working in production management/digital marketing/creative agency and/or professional services/consulting required. Full in HERE (3/31)
TEMP COORDINATOR, ON AIR >>
SCH/GSN/SM: 1+ yrs. w/ traffic exp. is a plus, communicating, scheduling, data entry, hands on coordination, log changes/revised promo scheduling/run logs and reports/ensure correct promo elements etc. Team player with strong attention to detail and strong time management. Full info HERE (3/29)
EXCEL QUICK TIP >>
MY SOFTWARE TUTOR: Add the current date – Ctrl + ; (Windows & Mac). Add the current time – Ctrl + Shift + ; (Windows) or Command + ; (Mac). Want to learn more shortcuts? MST offers three levels of real-time training in a safe, supportive environment. Use promo code CYNOPSIS20 to unlock a 20% savings. Full info HERE. (3/29)
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTION >>
APM STUDIOS/ST PAUL MN: Develop and create innovative, high quality content. Set editorial vision and brand voice for APM Studios’ new podcasts and their product development across platforms and formats. Lead collaborations with external media and distribution partners. 10+ years’ experience in media, 4+ years management experience required. Full info HERE (3/29)
DIRECTOR, PROGRAMMATIC SALES (CTV) >>
ORIGIN MEDIA/REMOTE: Striking partnerships with DSPs, agencies, brands, and agency trading desks to integrate with Origin’s programmatic solutions. Sourcing and managing PMP/PG business and adopt existing clients and grow their relationships. 5+ years of programmatic advertising video sales experience. CTV experience is a plus. Full info HERE (3/28)
OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE (DIGITAL/CTV) >>
ORIGIN MEDIA/REMOTE: Oversee administrative tasks, work with Sales to assist in the production, maintenance, and delivery of sales materials and RFPs from advertisers. Manage contracts with in-house legal counsel and organize and manage all company contracts and documents. 1-3 years of experience in sales or operations and familiarity with the Google Suite of products. Full info HERE (3/28)
HEAD OF GLOBAL PROCUREMENT >>
NEP GROUP/EASTERN US-LONDON: Establish a global purchasing community and build procurement capability to ensure a consistent approach to negotiations with key suppliers. Design and implement a global procurement strategy to add value and efficiency to the organization. and Understand global needs and lead negotiations. Fifteen years of industry-related experience in procurement required. Full info HERE (3/28)
SALES PLANNER >>
MARATHON VENTURE/NYC: Serve as the primary point of contact for our media partners, responsible for exceeding expectations by effectively anticipating and solving problems. Review client orders for accuracy and resolve discrepancies. 2-3 years related experience and strong organizational skills and attention to detail required. Full info HERE (3/27)
SENIOR MANAGER OF MARKETING OPERATIONS >>
ITVS/San Francisco: Optimize project management processes to create sustainable, scalable standards and best practices that improve cross-functional collaboration and long-range planning. Set, manage, and execute our audience development workflows. Identify, plan, and execute effective, “right-size” workflows. 5-7 years of professional experience in project management and communications required. Full info HERE (3/27)
MANAGER, DIGITAL CONTENT PROGRAMMING >>
FILMRISE/BROOKLYN NY: Manage clients for various emerging OTT verticals including but not limited to US Hispanic and Latin American/Brazilian platforms. Coordinate delivery of new content and looking for new ways to optimize revenue. Experience working in international digital content programming/ sales; familiarity with various platforms and Spanish language fluency required. Full info HERE (3/27)
INTEGRATED MARKETING MANAGER >>
REVOLT TV/LOS ANGELES: Managing branded content projects, ensuring the flawless execution of sold concepts through to delivery across media platforms. Tracks projects through all phases; from requests through approvals and distribution. 3+ years in creative/digital project manager role at a related production house/agency. Full info HERE (3/26)
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SCRIPTED SALES & CO-PRODUCTIONS >>
BBC AMERICA/LOS ANGELES CA: Managing sales and co-production activity with designated clients across both television and digital. Keep in constant contact with all key US buyers pitching upcoming programmes –for both TV and SVOD sales. 7+ years of experience at executive level within programming and/or distribution. In-depth understanding of the UK television industry, in particular the BBC. Full info HERE (3/26)
SALES ASSISTANT – NATIONAL >>
UPtv/NYC, NY: Provide full support to all accounts for the Ad Sales team, assist Account Executives, Sales Planner and Pricing Inventory in managing day-to-day Ad sales responsibilities. Communicate daily with Traffic Department, and create and maintain quarterly flighting grid. B.A. in Communication or equivalent from a four-year college; prior experience a plus. Full info HERE (3/26)
COUNSEL, BUSINESS & LEGAL AFFAIRS >>
MLB NETWORK/SECAUCUS, NJ: Strong knowledge and understanding of legal and business issues related to media, strong negotiation and drafting skills and a solid understanding of business issues. Draft and/or negotiate a wide variety of agreements and contract summary/tracking/management. A minimum of two years of legal experience in a media and/or entertainment transactional environment either in-house or with a law firm is required. Full info HERE (3/25)
VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL MANAGER >>
NEXSTAR INC., KRON4-MYNETWORK/SAN FRANCISCO: Leading broadcast operational teams with sales-driven organizations, developing locally originated content, and commitment to community service. Track record of high performance in developing revenue across multiple platforms. Minimum of five years of general management experience at a commercial broadcast television station with accompanying digital assets required. Full info HERE (3/25)
COMMUNITY MANAGER >>
JUKIN MEDIA/LOS ANGELES: Set overall community strategy as it relates to supporting brand initiatives, structure implementation of community-facing strategy across FailArmy, communicate on behalf of the brand across multiple channels. Min 3 yrs experience in brand communications, strong expertise in and a passion for current and emerging social and OTT platforms. Full info HERE (3/25)
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