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Twitter’s TJ Adeshola has one of those jobs that’s emerged only during the past decade. He loves speaking to middle school and high school students, in part, because explaining his job to them helps him boil down an easy explanation about his widely varied undertakings.
“Where it gets difficult is when I’m talking to my mom,” he said, laughing.
Adeshola and his team equip U.S. sports properties with the tools to use Twitter in “cool, thoughtful and meaningful ways,” he said. Under his watch, Twitter has launched live sports programming deals across a number of premium sports properties, including NBA, NFL, MLB, Jordan Brand, Fox and MLS. New ad formats offered during those various live broadcasts led to 100% growth in Twitter’s sponsorship revenue. And Twitter innovations include live, in-game isolation cameras on certain NBA players and introducing Tom Brady to the platform with a viral fake retirement tweet on April Fools’ Day.
Adeshola is most proud of his team’s effort to amplify and elevate women’s sports. Under his watch, Twitter had a multiyear deal streaming WNBA games, worked with Fox to create live content during the 2019 Women’s World Cup — including video of every single goal — and created the 3 Stripe Live program with Adidas that showcased girls’ high school sports events by streaming them on Twitter.
He’s also been an integral contributor to Twitter’s Blackbirds program, which pairs executives with lower-level employees from underrepresented communities. Adeshola said the program is already helping Twitter’s recruitment and retention of minority talent. But there is so much more progress to be made by the sports and social media industries.
“The conversation is being had and it’s certainly more prominent,” Adeshola said. “But man, we’ve got a whole lot of work to do. How can we be more intentional and deliberate about ensuring that the teams that we have are reflective of the broader society?”
Head of U.S. Sports, Twitter
Age: 36
Born: Providence, R.I.
Education: University of Georgia, M.A., journalism and communications
I get fired up … : Seeing underrepresented minorities win in their respective industries (promotions, advancements, recognition, etc.).
Advice to my 20-year-old self: Work harder than the hardest working person you know.
Profession I’d most like to attempt: R&B crooner.
Guilty pleasure: Collecting sneakers.
Could not go a day without: Music.
Cause supported: DreamWakers.
Person in the industry I’d most like to meet: Barack Obama.
Most unusual question asked while networking: What professional sport did you play? Let me guess, NFL right? (it happens frequently) Can we take a selfie?
Sports industry needs to do a better job of … : Prioritizing diversity AND inclusion. The sports biz industry should be more reflective/representative of its consumers.
