Executive Transactions

Comcast-Spectacor Ventures President and Global Spectrum Chair PETER LUUKKO will expand his duties and become President & COO of Comcast-Spectacor. Luukko will oversee the day-to-day operations of Comcast-Spectacor and Comcast-Spectacor Ventures, while also maintaining his Global Spectrum role (Comcast). Luukko said, “My job isn’t going to be that different. I’ll manage all the synergies of the company to move forward on a positive direction and use all our assets. I’ve learned a lot from [Comcast-Spectacor Chair] ED SNIDER in the past 20 years” (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 7/12).

FRANCHISE: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL’s John Lombardo reports Jazz Senior VP & CMO JAY FRANCIS has left the franchise to become the Pittsburgh Mission President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while Dir of PR KIM TURNER also resigned to “pursue other opportunities.” The Jazz have “essentially split Francis’ duties,” naming ERIC SCHULZ to the newly-created position of VP/Marketing. DUANE SPRAGUE will handle the team’s advertising efforts as GM of LHM Advertising, Jazz Owner LARRY MILLER’s ad agency. The team also promoted RANDY RIGBY to Senior VP/Sales & CMO in addition to his duties as GM of Miller’s KJZZ-Ind (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/11 issue)....The Bobcats named ROBEY LOGAN Inside Sales Consultant (Game Face).

EXECS: Idea Sports Entertainment Group Chair & CEO WILLIAM MORRIS has resigned. Golf Santee! Founder & Owner CHARLES CLARK will assume the role of CEO on an interim basis (Idea Sports)....Everlast Worldwide promoted Exec VP SETH HOROWITZ to President & COO. Horowitz will also join the Everlast BOD (Everlast)....U.S. Bobsled & Skeleton Federation Exec Dir CLAIRE DELNEGRO is stepping down. DelNegro will remain with the federation for an “indefinite period of time” and will have continuing involvement with sports programming and marketing projects (USBSF)....ESPN Communications named Walt Disney World Media Relations Managing Editor BILL HOFHEIMER Dir of Media Relations and WBCA Manager of Communications TILEA COLEMAN Senior Publicist. Coleman will focus on communications efforts for ESPNU and other college sports programming (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 7/11 issue)....St. Louis Univ. (SLU) named Univ. of Houston Assistant AD for Marketing & Promotions DEVIN CROSBY Associate AD for External Operations (SLU)....Octagon named AARON GODFRED Nextel/NASCAR Account Exec (Octagon).

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