QuintEvents has named former Super Bowl 50 CEO Keith Bruce president of its new QuintEvents International unit, which is centering its hopes for global growth around Formula One.
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Keith Bruce.
JJ HARRIS / TECHBOOGIE MEDIA |
As part of the move, Bruce also will lead F1 Experiences, which QuintEvents founded this year after landing the rights to run the global racing series’ official ticket and travel package program. QuintEvents International also handles the on-site programming/hospitality products for F1 Experiences, which makes it an end-to-end brand in the company’s view.
Bruce, who also becomes an equity partner in QuintEvents, said he was drawn to the move because it gives him the opportunity to both work with global properties and get into F1 just as the sport begins perhaps its most transformational shift ever under Liberty Media.
“That’s one of the magic words that attracted me to this opportunity — is the transformational aspect,” Bruce said. “I’m a growth-oriented type of CEO, and joining a company that’s poised for transformational growth, that was [a major goal on] my checklist.”
Bruce, 51, will be based at a new international office in San Francisco and also will spend time in London and Charlotte. He will report to QuintEvents CEO Brian Learst. Bruce spent more than two years at Super Bowl 50, nearly nine years at SportsMark Management Group and, most recently, a short stint as a consultant with the NASL. No search firm was used to make Bruce’s hire.
On top of the F1 rights, QuintEvents has the rights to global motorcycle racing series MotoGP. In addition to growing the F1 business, Bruce will aim to get international fans and multinational corporations more involved with QuintEvents’ domestic U.S. events, which include the Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl and College Football Playoff.
F1 has been famously closed-off under the reign of former CEO Bernie Ecclestone — for example, pit-road access used to be largely limited to VIPs and could not be purchased by regular fans. Liberty Media has insisted on making the sport less exclusive. Bruce noted that it’s this type of ethos from the sport’s new owners that has made him and QuintEvents bullish on growth.
QuintEvents has traditionally earned the lion’s share of its revenue domestically. Bruce said it was too early to project annual revenue for F1 Experiences, though it has already sold packages for about a half-dozen events. F1 has 20 races this season, which are held on every continent except Africa and Antarctica.
