This Week’s Movers in Sports Media & Marketing

This week in the sports media and marketing ecosystem, Tim Layden moves over to NBC Sports, WWE bolsters their on-air talent, and Discovery taps Mike Rich to head sports marketing solutions.

For job openings and more on who’s moving where, check out the Hashtag Sports Weekly roundup.

New York Rangers Hire New Digital Marketing Lead

Jess Smith announced on Twitter that she is joining the New York Rangers as the new head of digital marketing strategy & content. In her new role, Smith will look to expand the Rangers’ digital marketing campaigns and drive revenue through creative briefs out of Madison Square Garden. Smith brings over 10 years of experience in the digital marketing landscape, previously serving as the lead of digital marketing and brand strategy for both the New York Yankees and Under Armour.

Ohio State University Names New Social Media Manager for Athletics Department

Dani Dean announced on Twitter that she was promoted to the position of Social Media Production Manager for the Ohio State University marketing and athletics department. In her new position, Dean will lead visual & creative content production for the enterprise social media accounts and look to build the Ohio State platform. Dean has worked for OSU’s marketing department for the past two years and was a 2017 graduate from Ohio University’s journalism program.

WWE Bolsters Host Talent With Two Recent Hires

Mckenzie Mitchell announced on Twitter that she had signed with WWE as a new on-air host and backstage interviewer for live events. Mitchell comes over from Impact Wrestling where she had been an on-air host since 2016, until her departure in January 2019. Since her departure, Mitchell had been covering the Baltimore Ravens for Fan Girl Sports. In a related move, former Bleacher Report analyst Matt Camp announced his signing with WWE as an on-air host/digital talent as well. Camp is known for both hosting shows on SiriusXM and announcing House of Hardcore.

Bill Simmons’ Podcast Producer Announces Departure from The Ringer

After four years as a podcast host and producer of the Bill Simmons Media Group at The Ringer, Tate Frazier announced his departure on Twitter. Frazier was hired by Bill Simmons right out of college, and in his time at The Ringer, helped launch the Bill Simmons Podcast Network that has blossomed to over 20 current original podcasts. Frazier has not yet announced his future plans.

Tim Layden, Award-Winning Sports Journalist, Joins NBC Sports Group

NBC Sports Group has signed an exclusive agreement with award-winning sports journalist Tim Layden to produce longform articles, major-event stories, columns, and video work for TV and digital platforms. In his new role, Layden will seek out interesting stories across the sports world, and share them through the NBC platform by blending creative storytelling with in-depth analysis. Previously, Layden had spent the last 25 years at Sports Illustrated as a senior writer covering the Olympics, college football, college basketball, and the NFL.

Discovery Hires Mike Rich as Head of Sports Marketing Solutions

Discovery has hired Mike Rich for a newly created role as Head of Sports Marketing Solutions, with particular focus on Eurosport advertising sales. In his new role, Rich will lead Eurosport’s commercial sales organization and execute strategies for Discover’s sports portfolio to create opportunities for advertisers. Rich previously served as the Executive Vice President of Sales & Content Partnerships for Fox Networks in Asia, where he helped the network transform their sales approach offerings in Asia and the Middle East.

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