Pari-Mutuel Tech Provider Sportech Hires Sports/Media Veteran Schreff

Former NBA Media & Marketing Group President David Schreff has accepted a job as COO of the Americas for Sportech, which supplies pari-mutuel wagering technology to racetracks, off-track venues and casinos. Schreff will be based at Sportech’s North American HQs in New Haven, Conn., offices and have responsibility for Latin America and the U.S., where Sportech has around 700 employees. Schreff has worked in sports, entertainment and media for more than 30 years, including positions with Disney, Marvel, and Showtime. He worked at the NBA from '90-96 and was Chair of USA Volleyball from '08-11.

Schreff’s sports marketing background makes him an intriguing hire, with cash-strapped states like New Jersey seeking to grab a piece of the estimated $350B illegal gambling business in America. Could the hiring of a someone like Schreff mean that market is opening up to regulation and legitimacy, as it has in the U.K., where Sportech is headquartered? “I have no crystal ball on that,’’ said Schreff, “but when and if that happens, we are well positioned for what appears to be a big opportunity.”