Eurosport Digital named NBA Senior VP/Global Media Distribution ALEX KAPLAN Exec VP/Commercial, where he will be responsible for pricing and packaging, marketing, media buying and sponsorships. He will report to Discovery Chief Commercial Officer PAUL GUYARDO, who worked with Kaplan at DirecTV. Kaplan will be based in Discovery’s N.Y. office initially. Kaplan was named to SBJ/SBD's "Forty Under 40" class in ’13 (John Ourand, Staff Writer).
SENIOR ROLE: NBCU President of Research & Media Development ALAN WURTZEL is "transitioning" to a senior advisory role. Wurtzel's research team will now report to NBC Entertainment President of Program Planning, Strategy & Research JEFF BADER's group, which will "oversee the research functions for all entertainment programming" at NBC and NBCU (DEADLINE.com, 1/10). Wurtzel is a "TV research pioneer who joined NBC 17 years ago and has spent 40 years in the broadcast business" (BROADCASTINGCABLE.com, 1/10).
EXECS: Univision Communications promoted interim Head of Corporate Communications ROSEMARY MERCEDES to Exec VP & Chief Communications Officer. She will report to Univision President & CEO RANDY FALCO (VARIETY.com, 1/10)....Whistle Sports Exec VP BRIAN SELANDER will join VC firm SeventySix Capital as Entrepreneur in Residence. SeventySix Capital invests in companies involved with e-commerce, retail, sports, media and healthcare. Selander has been with Whistle Sports since ’12, two years before its launch. SeventySix Capital was an early investor in Whistle Sports (Ourand)....The Patriot League named NCAA Coordinator of Playing Rules and Officiating, Championships & Alliances EMILY PARKINS Dir of Championships & Sport Management (Patriot League)....The WNBA Liberty named former player SWIN CASH Dir of Franchise Development. Cash will "help with both business and basketball operations, aiding in the growth of the Liberty franchise, in addition to working with players and coaches." The position is the "first of its kind in the WNBA" (AP, 1/10)....The independent Atlantic League New Britain Bees named former Double-A Eastern League New Britain Rock Cats Exec VP & GM GERRY BERTHIAUME GM, replacing PAT DAY, who "stepped down to pursue new career opportunities" (HARTFORD COURANT, 1/11)....The Clippers hired KEVIN GARNETT as a consultant (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/11).
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