Speakers
Allison Loucks, ESPN, Director, Business Development & Innovation
As a director with ESPN’s Business Development & Innovation team, Allison Loucks is responsible for the oversight of the industry-leading ESPN Analytics team and is an integration point for the ESPN EDGE Innovation Center. ESPN Analytics’ predictive and performance metrics are ubiquitous across the company’s landscape, including Allstate Playoff Predictor, live win probabilities, and NFL Draft Day Predictor. With nearly 20 years of experience at ESPN, Loucks leads efforts across the enterprise to integrate advanced data and analytics into fan-facing experiences.
Loucks comes from a production background, providing support and smart storytelling expertise for ESPN’s linear and digital platforms. She graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin. Prior to ESPN, Loucks worked in media relations for the UW athletic department, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Detroit Lions.
Eric Orme, Prime Video, VP, Live Sports Product and Engineering
Eric Orme serves as vice president, live sports product and engineering at Prime Video, where he oversees global product, engineering, and operations for live sports on Prime Video. Over the past few years, his teams have delivered an engaging and high-quality live-viewing experience at significant scale for Amazon customers, including the English Premier League, Thursday Night Football, UEFA Champions League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, US Open tennis, and numerous other live sporting events and concerts.
Prior to this role, Orme served as the head of Prime Video Direct (PVD), a self-service program for creators and studios to make their video content available to Amazon customers worldwide, where he oversaw the global strategy, business, product, and engineering organizations.
Prior to joining Amazon in 2015, Orme served as a COO/CTO at Inform, where he was instrumental in growing the company into a comScore #4 video property through his leadership of the product, business development, and operations organizations. Prior to this, Orme served in executive roles at a variety of global digital media companies.
Orme holds a B.S. in economics with a concentration in computer science from Berry College. He resides in the greater DC metro area with his family.
Chris Allen, Red5, Co-Founder and CEO
Chris Allen, co-founder and CEO of Red5, boasts an impressive 20-year career in video streaming software. As a lifelong innovator, he originally co-led a team to successfully reverse-engineer the RTMP protocol launching the first open source competitor to Adobe’s Flash Communication server. With a portfolio of over a dozen patents, Allen is also a prolific software inventor, finding creative yet practical solutions to move the industry forward.
Allen now leads a talented team at Red5, where their TrueTime Solutions enable a wide range of interactive, real-time streaming applications for companies such as NVIDIA, Sony, and Accenture, as well as drive new and exciting experiences in professional sports.
Mike Allen, Bally Sports, Chief Product Officer
As chief product officer for Bally Sports, Mike Allen is responsible for the Bally Sports digital portfolio across multiple media platforms. He oversees all aspects of Bally Sports digital products, including Bally Sports+, the direct-to-consumer subscription service available to fans in all Bally Sports regional markets.
Prior to joining Bally Sports, Allen worked for the NBA where he oversaw the League’s digital portfolio. He oversaw product development and operations for the network of 100+ NBA websites, NBA Mobile & Connected TV Apps, and NBA LEAGUE PASS, the league’s full-season, live-game subscription service available to fans in more than 200 countries and territories.
Allen also led all digital products for the NBA GLEAGUE and WNBA as well as digital development, operations, and content management for all 30 NBA teams.
During his 20-year career at the NBA, Allen was instrumental in many groundbreaking digital initiatives, including the launch of NBA LEAGUE PASS; the launch of the league’s 19 international websites; NBA All-Star balloting on multiple platforms; and the first NBA mobile and connected TV application. In 2015, Allen was honored by the Sports Business Journal with a Forty Under 40 Award and in 2020, Allen won a Sports Emmy for the digital presentation of the NBA Bubble.
Prior to rejoining the NBA in 2006 as director of digital products, Allen worked for MTV Networks, where he managed digital products for the VH1 brand, overseeing numerous online, gaming, and mobile launches. He began his career with the NBA in 1999 as a department assistant, where he was responsible for tracking and analyzing website traffic and trends for both the league and individual team websites. Allen began his career in sports working in the marketing department for both the New York Knicks and New York Liberty.
Allen graduated from Franklin & Marshall College with a bachelor’s degree in history. He resides in Ramsey, NJ with his family.
Eric Black, Edgio, CTO and General Manager
Eric joined Edgio in 2023 to lead the company’s Media division. A 20+-year veteran of the digital video/live streaming industry, Black leads the company’s growth in delivering the highest quality linear, live, and on-demand video experiences.
Prior to joining Edgio, Black led NBC Universal’s media technology strategy across a host of digital properties during pivotal moments in the evolution of live streaming. He managed the first-ever live stream of a Super Bowl in 2010, delivered six Olympic Games (including the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the largest digital event in history at the time), 2018 FIFA World Cup, and Presidential debates. Black also guided the team that launched NBC Universal’s Peacock in 2020. The systems he built have focused on both high concurrent traffic and scale, and now deliver more than 20,000 events per year, resulting in billions of consumed minutes.
Black’s enormous contribution to the success of live event streaming has been recognized with nine Emmy awards. He is also a two-time winner of the IOC Gold Ring for Best Olympic Digital Service for the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2018 Winter Olympics, and the recipient of the Edward R. Murrow Award for 9/11 coverage in 2004. In addition, Black was honored with the 2013-2014 technology and engineering Emmy Award for Pioneering Delivery of Pay TV Linear Video to Consumer Owned and Managed Devices Over an IP Connection.
Joe Caporoso, Team Whistle, President
Joe Caporoso is the president at Team Whistle, a DAZN owned global sports media and entertainment company, that creates, curates and distributes positive, brand safe and relatable content experiences wherever and however their audiences want to consume content. Caporoso has been with the company for eight years, rising through the ranks as he previously served as the company’s SVP of content and brand platforms, and VP of content and social media. He started with the company in 2013 as a cross platform editor.
Caporoso is in charge of the company’s consumer/media business, setting and managing their content strategy on their owned and operated platforms and building different monetization paths for each of them. He originally joined in 2013 as a cross-platform editor after working at AOL and launching a NFL-centric website/podcast, Turn On The Jets. Caporoso currently resides in Hoboken, NJ with his wife and kids.
Brandon Costa, SVG, Director of Digital; SVG Digital Engagement Forum Program Director
Brandon Costa covers the sports video production industry with a focus on live streaming, over-the-top (OTT), social media, and other digital distribution technologies and platforms. He also directs SVG’s internal digital strategies launching the company’s video outfit, ‘SVG On Demand,’ designing and overseeing its mobile application, ‘SVG Mobile,’ and serving as executive producer and host of The SVG Podcast. Costa serves as program director of networking events serving the SVG College and SVG Digital communities. Prior to his time at SVG, Costa spent five years producing digital content for MLB Advanced Media.
Paolo Cuttorelli, Evergent, SVP, Global Sales
Paolo Cuttorelli brings over 20 years of expertise and knowledge from the media and telco industries, as well as a proven ability to forge long-term strategic partnerships with large and complex accounts globally. Currently, Cuttorelli spearheads global sales for Evergent, including revenue growth and forging solid partnerships with leading operators and media companies.
Before joining Evergent, he was the head of account management for Asia at Brightcove’s portfolio of global broadcasters, publishers, and native digital consumers. Cuttorelli has experience working with international media and telecom companies such as AT&T, Singtel, Astro Malaysia, Warner Brothers Discovery, Sony, Verizon, Rogers, MBC Group, and Telecom Italia. Cuttorelli is based in Singapore and holds a bachelor’s degree in science from the University of Waterloo.
Jason Dachman, SVG, Editorial Director, U.S.
Jason Dachman oversees all aspects of SVG’s North American editorial operations – including all news on sportsvideo.org, the daily SVG Insider newsletter, and SVG’s annual print publications – and is one of the primary contributors to SVG’s coverage of the sports-video-production industry. A member of the SVG team since 2009, Dachman also serves as program director for SVG’s Esports Production Forum, RSN Summit, Sports Content Management Forum, Sports Graphics Forum, and TranSPORT conference.
Prior to joining SVG, Dachman covered local sports for The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, MA, and served on the production staff of SiriusXM’s The Ron & Fez Show. He began his career in the Sports Information department at Northeastern University in Boston, where he earned a B.A. in media communications and cinema studies. A native of Denver, CO, Dachman currently resides in Queens, NY, with his wife Alyson and daughter June.
Mark Davis, TAG Video Systems, Director of Sales – Americas
Mark Davis serves as TAG Video Systems’ director of sales – Americas. His thorough understanding of the technical aspects behind IP video streaming, broadcast infrastructures, cloud, media, and digital advertising, combined with extraordinary problem-solving skills, have powered his ability to deliver fresh and practical solutions supporting operational excellence and expanded business opportunities.
Prior to joining TAG in 2021 as customer success lead – Americas, Davis was the senior solutions architect at Cox Media, director of sales engineering at BroadStream Solutions, project manager and principal support engineer at S.A.M. (Snell Advanced Media), and served in broadcast supervisory roles at Turner Broadcasting Systems.
Matt Duarte, YES Network, VP, Strategy and Business Development
Matt Duarte is responsible for identifying and recommending new business opportunities and partnering with YES’ senior leadership to drive overall company strategy.
Duarte works closely with a variety of different departments within YES. He collaborates with Finance regarding budgets and short- and long-term growth plans, with Affiliate Sales on traditional and alternative distribution strategy, and with Marketing, Programming and Production on a variety of initiatives.
Among Duarte’s achievements at YES was the development and launch of the multiple Emmy Award-winning YES App in March 2021, and the buildout and March 2023 launch of the YES Network’s direct-to-consumer offering.
Paul Finster, Amagi, VP, Business Development
Paul Finster is Amagi’s VP of business Development. As part of his role running the global BD function, he is responsible for technical partnerships, channel sales, cloud partners, and Amagi’s partner developer program.
Before joining Amagi, Finster served as head of MediaKind’s Telco Sales and New Business team where he focused on the NBA’s next generation streaming platform. Prior to MediaKind, he was head of solutions at both Evergent and Accenture, managing customer projects at companies like Etisalat, Fox, AT&T, Disney, Rogers, Turner, and others around the world. Prior to that, Finster was head of OTT solutions for Ericsson. In this global role, he supported clients around the world and spent two years living in Hong Kong.
Finster holds an M.S. from NYU’s Stern School of Business and a B.S. in electrical engineering from Cornell University. He is also certified in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).
Finster lives in Los Angeles with his family including two children who enjoy volleyball, golf, and soccer.
Brian Fitzsimmons, Barstool Sports, Director, Licensing and Business Development
Brian Fitzsimmons is the director of licensing and business development at Barstool Sports, serving as a key figure in driving growth and expansion for one of the most disruptive and influential media brands on the internet.
With extensive experience in brand and product marketing, partnership management, content strategy, audience development, and business operations in the digital space, he’s spent the last 5+ years leading strategic initiatives across different categories at Barstool that have driven deeper interaction, engagement, and connection with an audience of over 200 million.
Before joining Barstool Sports in September 2018, Fitzsimmons served as an advisor at Front Office Sports for one year, and he spent the previous three years as the head of sports programming at AOL. Prior to that, Fitzsimmons was a managing editor at MSG Network/News 12 for nearly five years and was on the ground floor of launching the first-ever digital and linear network dedicated to high school sports, MSG Varsity on Optimum.
Fitzsimmons received his bachelor’s degree in media studies from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT, where he currently serves as an Alumni Board Member for the School of Communication, Media & The Arts. In 2023, he earned a Certificate in Organizational Leadership from Harvard Business School.
Chris Foster, NHL, VP, Digital Business Development
As vice president of digital business development, Chris Foster manages the National Hockey League’s existing digital syndication portfolio and oversees digital fan engagement projects in collaboration with the League’s key innovation partners. He also oversees the business strategy for key third-party digital content partners including Apple, Google, YouTube, Yahoo, and Amazon.
Last season (2022 – 2023), Foster’s portfolio expanded to include oversight of the NHL’s FAST (free ad-supported streaming) Channel strategy – an addition to the League’s content distribution portfolio serving NHL content to an expanded audience. He led the debut of the first-ever NHL FAST Channel on The Roku Channel, as well as on Amazon platforms. Foster also oversees the relationship with NHL FAST channel technology partner Amagi, a global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for FAST, broadcast playout in the cloud, and global distribution to connected devices.
Foster is the project lead for the NHL’s partnership with SAP, the enterprise application software and database leader, and oversees this partnership’s fan-facing, digital initiatives for the League. This includes the innovative SAP Coaching Insights App for iPad which provides access to real-time, customized data and player statistics during the game on home and away benches in all 32 NHL arenas.
Prior to joining the NHL, Foster worked for various digital and mobile startups in the sports and lifestyle verticals in capacities such as product manager, creative director, and marketing lead.
Foster holds a M.S. in sports management from Columbia University and a B.A from Georgetown University.
Dave Giancola, USGA, Director, Digital Strategy and Innovation
Dave Giancola is the director of digital strategy and innovation at the United States Golf Association. In this role, he manages the USGA’s digital business including all championship-focused digital products, as well as technology innovations and business development in the space.
Giancola began his career at the USGA in 2015 as a member of the Broadcasting & Production department, where he managed production operations and overall relationships with the USGA’s domestic and international rightsholders across all televised championships, before assuming his current role in 2022.
A New Jersey native and graduate of Rutgers University, Giancola began his career in sports media in 2011 as an on-air broadcast analyst, and still currently serves in that role for the Princeton University Football and Men’s Lacrosse teams across radio, television and streaming outlets.
Giancola lives in Jersey City, NJ with his wife Sam and daughter Ruby.
Kristian Hernández, SVG, Senior Editor
Kristian Hernández is currently the senior editor of Sports Video Group. In his role, he is responsible for covering team-based and in-venue productions and various other sports technology topics within the industry. In addition, he is the program director for the annual SVG Venue Summit.
Before joining SVG, Hernández served as co-founder of CHC-TV, the first student-run television studio at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, PA. While at CHC, Hernández produced a daily sports show named “On the Hill with Hernández” — covering all men’s and women’s athletics for the college. Also, Hernández spearheaded the college’s newspaper, “The Griffin”, as its Sports Editor. Hernández graduated with a BA in Communications. Born in Brooklyn, NY, he currently lives in Philadelphia, PA.
Ken Kerschbaumer, SVG, Co-Executive Director, Editorial
Ken Kerschbaumer is co-executive director of editorial services for the Sports Video Group and SVG Europe. He was a co-founder of SVG along with Paul Gallo and Marty Porter in 2005 and has been writing about how sports networks and leagues use video and audio technology to deliver a quality TV experience since 1991. Kerschbaumer began his career in 1991 at Television Broadcast magazine before joining Cahners where he was founding editor of Digital Broadcasting magazine. In 2000, he joined Broadcasting & Cable magazine as senior editor of technology where he covered all aspects of broadcasting, cable, and internet content creation and distribution.
Alex Leafer, New York Islanders, Director of Content Production & Technology Innovation
Alex Leafer, the director of content production and technology innovation with the New York Islanders is responsible for the development and execution of industry-renowned productions aimed at redefining the fan experience. With a background in physical, virtual, and OTT-streaming sports experiences, he looks to integrate next-gen technology into every production.
After graduating from Quinnipiac University in 2013, Leafer’s career started with the New York Islanders while simultaneously developing the new media and technology integrations for NeuLion, servicing the NFL, UFC, Univision, NHL, World Surf League, and MLS.
Leafer is currently in his 11th season with the New York Islanders.
Adam London, CBS Digital, EVP of Business Development & Partnerships
Adam London currently serves as executive vice president of business development and partnerships for the CBS Sports, News, and Entertainment digital properties at Paramount Global. In his role, London is responsible for the division’s strategic licensing, distribution, and partnership deals across a variety of digital properties, including the CBS Sports/CBS News/CBS sites and apps. He also plays a prominent role in the development of CBS’ cross-platform content distribution strategy, in addition to working closely with the CBS Sports and Paramount+ teams on the acquisition and utilization of the company’s broad portfolio of sports rights.
London joined CBS in 2007. Prior to that, he served as the vice president of business development at Sporting News, working across the company’s magazine, radio, and digital properties; and as the senior vice president of business development at Small World Media, one of the pioneers of the fantasy sports industry.
A graduate of the University of Rochester, London also received his J.D. from Syracuse University.
Jean Macher, Harmonic, Senior Director, Global SaaS Solutions
Jean Macher is senior director of global SaaS solutions at Harmonic where he drives the marketing efforts for the company’s SaaS portfolio. Macher brings to Harmonic a wealth of expertise in cloud video and U.S. TV ecosystems, stemming from more than 20 years of experience in solutions and product management, working closely with media companies on the latest streaming innovations.
Macher holds a Master of Science in electrical engineering from the Institut Supérieur d’Électronique in Paris.
Zach Malet, ESPN, Senior Director, Business Development & Innovation
Zack Malet is ESPN’s senior director of business development and innovation. He negotiates and manages ESPN’s existing and new third-party business agreements, with a specific focus on strategic innovation, revenue, and technology partnerships. Since joining ESPN in 2012, Malet has worked in Disney Platform Distribution where he managed distribution of Disney properties (including ABC, ESPN, Disney+) with cable and streaming partners and in ESPN’s programming and acquisitions’ content strategy and college sports groups.
Malet has been on the Board of Directors for The Village for Families & Children in Hartford since 2020 and a member of the ESPN V Foundation for Cancer Research Committee since 2013. Prior to ESPN, he worked for the sports agency Shapiro Negotiations Institute and graduated from Brown with a degree in economics and Georgetown University’s SIM Program.
Matthew Marcus, The Famous Group, EVP, Proprietary Technologies
Matthew Marcus has built a career of success by understanding that sometimes the best move is to innovate and sometimes it is to execute on the foundation of time-tested business fundamentals. Sought out to build and lead divisions for numerous companies—ranging from startups to Fortune 500 enterprises, he has put business infrastructures and cultures in place that have produced award-winning work and significant revenue. Woven throughout each leadership position within corporate communications, marketing, production, creative development, and sales, his focus has always been on elevating customer engagement, corporate culture, and revenue.
In his current role as EVP of propriety technologies, Marcus oversees business development, marketing, strategy, communications, production, and operations of various award-winning fan engagement tools developed at The Famous Group. Among the platforms in his purview include the Vixi Suite which features the first-ever, patented, award-winning Vixi Live Selfie Cam that has been used in thousands of events worldwide. In 2023, his team recreated the product UI to become an all-in-one, multi-faceted production tool that includes the Vixi Capture fan photo uploader featuring Ai Photo Magic – the first product to effectively use Ai in the live event marketplace. The Vixi Suite also launched Vixi Stream which gives live event producers the tools it needs to use a consumer cell phone as a live-to-the-board camera. Marcus has also spearheaded a strategic partnership with Tagboard to create the only social media aggregator built in the Unreal Engine. In addition, he has executive produced several mixed reality, mobile AR, and virtual audience productions at The Famous Group. Marcus began his role at The Famous Group by executive producing virtual fans in the WWE Thunderdome and expanded the company’s proprietary Virtual Seat audience solution on which it was built.
Michelle Munson, Eluvio, Co-Founder and CEO
Michelle Munson is the co-founder and CEO of Eluvio and co-creator of the Content Fabric protocol, an open and decentralized Internet protocol for owner-controlled streaming, storage, and monetization of digital content at scale. The Content Fabric provides premium content distribution and management for tier1 sports, studios, and artists globally, and has won multiple product awards from leading organizations at global industry events including HPA, IABM, IBC, and NAB.
Munson previously co-founded Aspera in 2004 and led the company as CEO until May 2017, including through acquisition by IBM in 2014. She co-invented the Aspera FASP transport technology used in the digital media supply chain for high-speed, low-cost secure digital content transport, replacing satellite and traditional tape-based delivery technologies, and won an engineering Emmy.
Munson holds 14 U.S. patents in the areas of content networking, machine learning, block chain, and distribution infrastructure. She is the recipient of the 2019 David Sarnoff Medal for technology innovation with lasting impact in film and television, and in 2022 became the youngest person inducted into the Kansas State University Engineering Hall of Fame.
Emeka Okoli, Zixi, SVP of Customer Success and Solutions
A Technology and Engineering Emmy Award winner, Emeka Okoli is a passionate advocate of Zixi’s customers and products as senior vice president of the Customer Success and Solutions teams. Okoli plays a key role in driving unique solutions, deployments, and business relationships over Zixi’s journey as a leading innovator in the industry. He developed and was integral in driving productization of Zixi’s cloud services (Zixi As A Service or ZaaS).
Prior to Zixi, Okoli engaged with several charitable organizations and served as CTO and vice president of product & information systems at WARM2Kids, a charitable foundation where he developed a unique method of broadening technology outreach in inner cities and suburbs across the United States. His model was recognized and achieved significant grants from Microsoft and others. Prior to his charitable work, Okoli facilitated online collaborative services at Polycom as IS manager and pre- and post-sales manager at MeetU. Following his tenure in the early 2000’s at CSC Consulting Index, Okoli co-founded OHC, a technology advisory group and service provider.
Okoli holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science and technology with a master’s degree in management, information technology from Northeastern University.
Andrew Reich, AWS, Senior Consultant, Sports, Professional Services
Andrew Reich joined Amazon Web Services in January 2020. He is currently a senior sports consultant for AWS’ M&E Professional Services group. Reich works with customers and partners on migrating their solutions to the cloud, in addition to driving technological innovation in sports. He has led major cloud adoption initiatives and projects involving live and post production, Visual Effects (VFX) rendering, content data and analytics, media pipeline, and services deployment.
Prior to AWS, Reich spent eight plus years working for the MLB and NHL Networks on the media services team. He is a seven-time Sports Emmy award winner and graduated from Syracuse University.
Tim Stott, HBS, Executive Producer, Digital
Coming to digital media via a background in journalism and broadcast, Tim Stott has vast experience working for IMG, BBC, and Virgin Media, building a portfolio of global projects. In recent years, working with HBS, he has rolled out digital projects for over 10 global sporting events, focusing on event-time and 360° content for social media platforms, as well as influencer and community activations. Stott’s main focus of research is in trends behind fan engagement online and the disruption of traditional sports storytelling. In the past 18 months, he has led the HBS social media project on the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup events, Rugby World Cup 2023, and the French Open at Roland-Garros.
Timothy Stevens, Verizon Business Group, Global Leader, Strategic Innovation, Media & Entertainment
Tim Stevens is Verizon Business Group’s global leader of strategic innovation for sports, media, and entertainment. Leveraging a deep understanding of business operations, technology, industry trends, and competitive landscape, Stevens is responsible for marketing strategy, product positioning, market intelligence, and business development. Prior to joining Verizon, he held senior technology roles at Newsweek, Viacom/ MTV Networks, Showtime, and New Line Cinema.
John Turner, FloSports, VP of Content
John Turner is a seasoned media executive and strategist with a record of growing revenue and engagement. He currently serves as vice president of content at FloSports, where he leads a team of writers, editors, video producers, and social media specialists. Turner previously held roles as director of business development at USA Today Sports Media Group and executive editor at Sporting News.
Turner lives in Charlotte, NC, with his family.
Chris Wagner, OTT Advisors, Managing Partner
Chris Wagner is the managing partner of OTT Advisors, which was founded in 2018. OTTA helps video rights holders monetize their video rights and the company offers investors, executives, and entrepreneurs services to grow their professional brands, revenues, and customers.
After spending more than a decade in the video internet streaming industry, Wagner has developed an uncanny ability to start-up new technology businesses and enhance existing enterprises through digitally enabled services. He founded internet start-up NeuLion and helped grow the business to $100 million dollars, which sold to Endeavor for $250 million in cash.
Mike Wargo, SNY, VP, Digital Platforms & Strategy
Mike Wargo joined SNY as vice president of digital platforms and strategy in 2022. In this role, he leads all strategic direction and operation of the company’s digital platforms including SNY’s website, app, and social media handles.
Before SNY, Wargo worked at NBC Sports where he most recently served as vice president of product and strategy for betting and gaming. Over his 10 years at NBC Sports, he led a variety of digital product, content, and partnership teams across NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports regional networks.
Wargo is a graduate of Penn State University.
