As Amazon continues its sports push, Nike vet Marc Patrick is joining the tech power to lead live sports marketing.
In a package of major rights deals announced last month, Amazon grabbed an exclusive for NFL Thursday Night Football starting in 2023. Fox has broadcast the games over the past three seasons.
Ukonwa Ojo, chief marketing officer of Amazon Studios and Amazon Prime Video, informed staffers today about the hire in a memo. (Read it in full below.)
Patrick, a 20 year Nike veteran who had most recently been an SVP at Beyond Meat, will report to Ujo and oversee marketing of all live sports, including the NFL. The company also just began streaming select New York Yankees games in the New York area via a stake in the Yankee-controlled YES Network. Amazon has been simulcasting live games for years as linear networks take the lead, but it is stepping up its commitment, seeing sports as a key driver of video advertising. Globally, it also carries soccer, tennis and other live sports.
In addition to overseeing the drive for live tune-in, Patrick will also work on sports-themed documentaries and series made by the studio.
Here is Ujo’s full memo:
Hello everyone –
I’m writing with exciting news about a new member of our team – Marc Patrick will be joining us as Global Head of Sports Marketing. He will be responsible for developing breakthrough multi-media entertainment campaigns for our live sports offerings and will work closely with the NFL as the marketing lead for Thursday Night Football on Prime Video. Marc will also partner with Studios on sports docuseries and sports-themed content.
As we all know, live sports are a key driver of growth for Prime Video. Marc’s expertise in executing winning sports marketing campaigns on behalf of some of the world’s best-known brands will ensure success in building customer awareness for our premium sports content. He will lead the team responsible for creating compelling marketing plans that effectively integrate mass-media, social media, promotional activities and other means of engaging sports fans on a global scale.
Marc spent more than 20 years at Nike, Inc., holding key roles across a variety of functions, geographies and sports categories as the Head of Brand Marketing for Golf, Tennis, Baseball, Athletic Training, Skateboarding and Football. One of Marc’s major achievements at Nike was helping to build the company’s long-term partnership with the NFL, while leading marketing outreach to young football fans. Marc was most recently SVP of Marketing at Beyond Meat, where he launched their direct to consumer business, and helped bring plant-based food products into the cultural zeitgeist.
Marc’s extensive, multifaceted background makes him a terrific addition to the team – and I know that he’ll do a fantastic job of enhancing our efforts on behalf of our increasingly important sports offerings. Marc will report to me but partner closely with the Sports team under Marie Donoghue. Please join me in welcoming him.
Thanks.
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