Sports data provider Genius Sports Limited has appointed Steve Bornstein in the newly created executive role of President, North America with immediate effect.
Bornstein will lead Genius Sports’ US and Canadian activities, building on the existing team’s capabilities and relationships.
He has held a range of positions across the sports, media, and advisory sectors, bringing an extensive history of broadcast experience to the role from over 20 years at ESPN and ABC, where he became ESPN’s youngest president and CEO at age 38 in 1990.
Commenting on his appointment, Bornstein said: “I am excited to join Genius Sports at this time in the company’s growth. And I’m delighted to partner with Mark and his outstanding team as Genius demonstrates and deepens its commitment to drive real value for its partners in the US and Canada. I can’t wait to get started.”
Bornstein is also well-known for his time as President, CEO, and Founder of the NFL Network and Executive Vice President of Media where he oversaw the league’s media division and led negotiations on TV deals and sponsorships.
He is a former Chairman of Activision Blizzard’s esports division where he created professional leagues and new ways to deliver fan experiences across games, platforms, and geographies. He continues to act as a senior adviser to The Raine Group, a merchant bank advising and investing in technology, media, and telecom.
Leading Genius Sports’ North American operations, Bornstein will optimize its regional business infrastructure to position the company for accelerated growth in existing and new areas, including streaming. This will include the sourcing and unlocking of value with new and existing sports partners, including the NFL, NCAA, NASCAR, NBA, and MLB.
He will also work closely with the executive team to identify innovative and revenue-accretive acquisition targets, as well as support the integration of recently acquired businesses, including Second Spectrum, which is the official data tracking and analytics provider of the EPL, NBA, and MLS.
CEO Mark Locke stated: “Steve is an accomplished, forward-thinking executive who brings more than 30 years of sports media experience.
“As we continue to execute on our growth strategy North America, we look forward to benefitting from a visionary like Steve who played a major role in shaping the growth and success of iconic brands like ESPN and the NFL. As a leader, he exemplifies the values set out at Genius and will help us progress our culture of collaboration and innovation.”
