Amazon has hired former Relativity Media President of Digital Strategy & Acquisitions JIM DELORENZO "to head up a new sports group." DeLorenzo spent a year at Relativity, and prior to that, was SI Digital VP & GM and "helped Time Inc.'s publication launch its 120 Sports video joint venture" (RECODE.net, 5/2). DeLorenzo was a member of SBJ/SBD’s "Forty Under 40" class in ’14 (THE DAILY).
SOFTWARE UPDATE: Sports tech outfit FanThreeSixty has hired former Lexmark Enterprise Software VP/Sales DENNIS CUNNINGHAM as its new Chief Sales Officer. In the newly created position, Cunningham will lead FanThreeSixty’s global sales and business development activities, and report directly to Partner & CEO ROBB HEINEMAN. The creation of the chief sales officer role and hiring of Cunningham follows FanThreeSixty’s rebranding early this year from its prior incarnation as Sporting Innovations (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).
FROM THE C-SUITE: Raycom Sports named former IMG College Senior VP/Partnership Management & Business Development HUNTER NICKELL CEO. Nickell left IMG in December '14 after just over two years with the firm. He also had a stint as Speed TV President (THE DAILY)....Academy Sports + Outdoors named Lowe's CMO TOM LAMB Exec VP & CMO, effective May 23 (Academy Sports + Outdoors).
TEAM PLAYERS: Browns VP/Fan Experience & Marketing KEVIN GRIFFIN "has left the club to pursue other opportunities." Griffin was "involved with the Browns' in-house media, including television, radio and website operations" (CLEVELAND.com, 5/2)....The Suns named AFL Arizona Rattlers President CHRIS PRESSON to the same position for the NBA D-League Northern Arizona Suns (Suns)....The Triple-A Int'l League Nashville Sounds named Single-A Midwest League Bowling Green Hot Rods GM & COO ADAM NUSE GM. Nuse replaces GARRY ARTHUR, who retired April 15 (TENNESSEAN.com, 5/2)....The 49ers promoted the following: NIKKI HAWKINS to Dir of Partnership Services; KEVIN HILTON to Senior Manager of Partnership Sales; NATE RACELA to Manager of Partnership Services; and KYLA KAJIOKA to Coordinator of Partnership Sales & Services (THE DAILY).
EXECS: Disney and ESPN Media Networks promoted Disney/ABC TV Group VP/Consumer Data & Analytics MIA RONDINELLA to Senior VP/Global Distribution & Strategy. She will manage the domestic affiliate sales and marketing business strategy group. Rondinella also will oversee the global distribution business operations and strategy team for Disney Media Distribution (ESPN)....Montana State Univ. named Utah Deputy AD KYLE BRENNAN AD (MTSTANDARD.com, 5/2)....The Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha announced Baxter Arena GM MIKE CERA "is out." Cera was hired in June '14 to "oversee the arena's final construction and manage it after its October 2015 opening" (OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, 5/3)....Cal-Riverside named Mercer Univ. Assistant AD/Compliance JESSICA HARBISON WEAVER Assistant AD/Compliance Services (THE DAILY).
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