In September, DAZN Group announced it had signed deal to acquire ELEVEN Group. Following the recent completion of the merger, DAZN appointed ELEVEN’s co-founder Marc Watson as its new chief commercial officer.
As announced, Watson will lead the sports media company’s rights and content acquisition strategy. He will also drive various commercial initiatives across the group, helping DAZN become a true leader in sports media.
As CCO of the company, the new appointee will join an ambitious global leadership team full of knowledgeable sports media veterans. In his position, Watson will replace Jacopo Tonoli who will explore other opportunities. Despite that, Tonoli will remain a special advisor to DAZN.
Watson and Andrea Radrizzani co-founded ELEVEN Group in 2015. The group competed with DAZN for a long time, before the two competitors finally merged together. In his time as CEO of ELEVEN, Watson cultivated his experience and led the company’s expansion into a whopping 230 markets.
Watson Is Happy to Be a Part of the DAZN Journey
Watson shared his feelings about joining the DAZN Group. He praised the company for its ambition to become a leader in sports media and said that its products are “hugely compelling.” According to Watson, DAZN is setting new standards for enjoying and engaging with sports. He said that he is very happy to join the DAZN family and be a part of the DAZN journey.
Shay Segev, DAZN Group’s chief executive officer also commented on the agreement. He lauded Watson as a veteran with an “impeccable track record” in the sports media and entertainment sector.
His experience will be invaluable to us as we continue to innovate and improve the way people around the world enjoy watching sports.
Shay Segev, CEO, DAZN Group
Segev thanked Tonoli for his hard work over the past decade and a half. The CEO noted that DAZN wouldn’t have been the same without Tonoli’s help and wished him all the best.
Lastly, Tonoli also shared his feelings. He said that he is very proud to have been a part of DAZN. He said that the challenges he faced and the successes he achieved alongside the rest of the team are important highlights that he will always remember. Tonoli is happy that he will have the opportunity to continue working with the company as a special advisor.
DAZN just completed the acquisition of ELEVEN and Team Whistle, a US-based social media creative agency. These acquisitions will further DAZN’s momentum as the company seeks to become a media giant comparable to Amazon and Netflix.