NASCAR Senior VP/Partnership Marketing LOU GARATE is leaving the sanctioning body for a new role at Twitch. Garate, who has been at NASCAR since ’07, will become Twitch’s new Head of Global Sponsorship Sales following the final NASCAR race of the season later this month at Miami. Twitch is not formally announcing the news but will share it with esports media later today. Garate in a statement said, “After an incredible 12-year run at NASCAR, working closely with many of the most successful and recognizable brands in the world, I am excited to begin the next phase of my career with one of the fastest growing entities in media. Twitch is at the forefront in changing how the world watches and experiences live entertainment and is clearly the global leader in esports broadcasting and sponsorship. I look forward to getting started and helping brand partners navigate the complex esports landscape and achieve their business objectives." Garate, who is one of the highest ranking Latino execs in the sport of NASCAR, started off as a director at the sanctioning body before working his way up to his current position leading NASCAR’s partnership marketing team in ’16. NASCAR is planning to implement a new partnership marketing group structure in the coming months under the leadership of Exec VP & Chief Marketing & Content Officer JILL GREGORY.
