Features

People on the move: Washington Football Team, LAFC and more

The Washington Football Team has named Jason Wright as the new president of the NFL franchise.

Wright will oversee the team’s business divisions, including operations, finance, sales and marketing, and will report directly to team owner Dan Snyder. Wright becomes the first black president of an NFL team.

Wright spent seven years as a player in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals. Following his retirement from the sport, Wright worked for global strategy and management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, where he became named partner in the operations practice.

Los Angeles FC president Tom Penn (pictured) is to step down from his role at the Major League Soccer franchise to become chief executive of Co.Protect, a new business venture he recently co-founded.

Co.Protect provides branded protective equipment to LAFC, MLS and other sports leagues and competitions. Penn will remain engaged with LAFC as an executive consultant.

LAFC’s chief business officer, Larry Freedman, and executive vice-president of soccer operations and general manager, John Thorrington, will share the role of interim president.

Ticketmaster is to combine its North America and International teams into one global entity, with Jared Smith to become chairman of the merged operation.

Smith, previously president of Ticketmaster, becomes global chairman. Smith has been with the company since 2003, where he served as chief operating officer before being promoted to the top role in 2012.

Mark Yovich, Ticketmaster’s president of International, has been elevated to become the Live Nation-owned company’s president of global business. Yovich held his former role since 2011 and previously served as executive vice-president and general manager of ecommerce international.

In addition, Ticketmaster’s president of North America, Amy Howe, has been appointed as the firm’s new global chief operating officer. Howe previously worked as Ticketmaster North America’s chief strategy officer and has been chief operating officer and president since 2019.

David Davies, Live Nation’s vice-president of property and facilities in Europe, has left the company.

In a post on LinkedIn, Davies said the root cause of the decision is the COVID-19 pandemic and the “serious effect” it is having on Live Nation’s core business.

Davies added: “I am not sure where life will take me next however I am excited by the possibilities.”

Event management company Stadium has named Scott Metcalfe as its new managing director.

Metcalfe will assume responsibility for the company’s UK operations from Stadium founder David McAtamney, who will oversee the firm’s global expansion.

Ken Frank has been named as the managing director of See Tickets Switzerland and will take over the management of the ticket marketer, which was formerly known as Starticket, from October 1.

He succeeds Christof Zogg, who will leave the company.

Frank will take over the management of the company after several years in the chief operating officer role at Starticket AG. He has been chief product officer and deputy chief executive since 2016.

Cricket South Africa has named Kugandrie Govender as its acting chief executive with immediate effect.

Govender is CSA’s chief commercial officer and becomes the first woman to assume the body’s chief executive role. She takes on the role amid the continued suspension of Thabang Moroe.

Chris Nenzani has also resigned as president of CSA, three weeks before his term was due to end. CSA will elect a new president on September 5.

SeatGeek has appointed Robert Fleming to the role of head of platform services.

Fleming has previously held the roles of head of global product support and director of UK operations at the ticketing firm.

Do you have news of an appointment that we should know about? Get in touch by emailing news.editor@thestadiumbusiness.com and we’ll include it in our next round-up.