Diamond Sports Group (“Diamond”), a subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group (NASDAQ: SBGI), today announced Michael Schneider has been named Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of Bally Sports+, its new direct-to-consumer (DTC) sports division.
In this newly created role, Schneider will have operational oversight over the Bally Sports+ participatory DTC sports platform, anchored by Bally Sports’ live event programming, while providing fans a year-round opportunity to engage with content and communities they are most passionate about.
Prior to joining Bally Sports, Schneider was the Vice President of Brand and Content Marketing at Hulu, where he led the teams driving Hulu’s marketing efforts across the SVOD and Live TV businesses. Schneider also oversaw brand marketing and strategy, audience development, live and licensed content marketing, social media, sports marketing and the day-to-day performance of Hulu + Live TV. Under Schneider’s leadership, Hulu launched and grew Hulu + Live TV into the leading U.S. live streamer.
Commenting on the appointment Rob Weisbord, Sinclair’s COO and President of Broadcast said, “Throughout his career, Michael has successfully launched and developed DTC streaming and service platforms and created immersive engagement experiences. He is a terrific addition to the team as we build out the Bally Sports+ offering, its exclusive content and passionate fan community.”
Prior to joining Hulu, Schneider was a founding member of the PlayStation Vue launch team, leading customer marketing and strategy and responsible for the service’s launch and business growth. Schneider has also held multiple senior marketing roles at Charter and Time Warner Cable where he led customer engagement and loyalty initiatives.
“Local sports fans are in need more than ever of a viewing experience where they can stream and get closer to their favorite teams in more direct, interactive and meaningful ways,” said Schneider. “I'm excited to lead the Bally Sports DTC team as I believe our platform is the best positioned to push the industry forward and redefine local sports for the fans of today and tomorrow.”
Schneider has been named to the prestigious AdAge 40 under 40 list and was named one of the most powerful marketing leaders in streaming by Business Insider. He holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business and a BA from Vassar College.
Schneider was selected following a national search conducted by TurnkeyZRG.
About Bally Sports
The Bally Sports Regional Networks are the nation’s leading provider of local sports. The 19 regional networks, owned-and-operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group, include, Bally Sports Arizona, Bally Sports Detroit, Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Great Lakes, Bally Sports Indiana, Bally Sports Kansas City, Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports New Orleans, Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Ohio, Bally Sports Oklahoma, Bally Sports San Diego, Bally Sports SoCal, Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Southeast, Bally Sports Southwest, Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports West and Bally Sports Wisconsin. The Bally Sports RSNs serve as the TV home to more than half of all MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States and produce over 4,500 live local professional telecasts each year in addition to a wide variety of locally produced sports events and programs. For more regional sports coverage, download the Bally Sports app and visit www.BallySports.com.
About Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local sports and news. The Company owns and/or operates 21 regional sports network brands; owns, operates and/or provides services to 185 television stations in 86 markets, owns multiple national networks including Tennis Channel and Stadium; and has TV stations affiliated with all the major broadcast networks. Sinclair’s content is delivered via multiple platforms, including over-the-air, multi-channel video program distributors, and digital and streaming platforms NewsON and STIRR. The Company regularly uses its website as a key source of Company information which can be accessed at www.sbgi.net.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220523005744/en/