ASM Global has appointed Jen Mitchell as general manager of Manchester’s AO Arena.
Mitchell (pictured right) joins the AO Arena from Leeds’ First Direct Arena, where she has spent the past five years working as general manager. She will commence her new role in April.
Mitchell has worked in the venue and entertainment industry for more than 23 years, with roles in Qatar, Australia and several venues and organisations around the UK, including London’s Kings Place.
Lega Serie A, which operates the top division of Italian club football, has appointed Lorenzo Casini as its new president.
Casini succeeds Paolo Dal Pino and has been appointed after receiving 11 votes during a meeting of the league’s 20 clubs. Casini currently works as a civil servant in Italy’s Culture Ministry.
Florent Coulon (pictured left) has joined Paris’ Stade de France as director of development and strategy.
Coulon’s appointment comes as the stadium prepares to host this year’s UEFA Champions League final, with France also set to stage the Rugby World Cup in 2023. Coulon previously worked as vice-president of international sales at Legends and has also held roles at Olympique Lyonnais and the IMG agency.
The National Women’s Soccer League has named Jessica Berman as its next commissioner.
Berman will oversee all operations of the NWSL, with a focus on supporting players on and off the pitch, working with clubs to grow the league’s audience, and collaborating with partners to create an engaging and entertaining fan experience.
Berman will begin her four-year term as commissioner on April 30, with Marla Messing to continue as interim chief executive until May 31 to ensure a smooth transition. Berman joins the NWSL after two and a half years as deputy commissioner and executive vice-president of business affairs at the National Lacrosse League (NLL). She previously spent 13 years with the NHL.
The organising committee for this year’s Rugby League World Cup has appointed sports consultant Mick Hogan to lead its revenue team, while Rob Meaden has joined as head of communications.
Hogan has worked across rugby league and union since the early 1990s and is joined on the senior leadership team by Upneet Thandi, who joins as head of marketing from Scottish Rugby.
Meaden formerly worked for the English Football League and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. He will work alongside Abby Burton, who joins from British Cycling as communications lead. Lucy Jones has also been promoted to head of match operations, while Jenn Stock will lead on culture and wellbeing.
Haslam Sports Group, which operates the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew, has hired Eric Clouse as its chief commercial officer.
Clouse will oversee revenue and marketing departments for the Browns and the Crew, collaborating with leadership at both teams to maximise initiatives relating to ticket sales and services, business analytics, fan engagement, corporate partnerships and digital content and production.
Clouse has spent the past 10 years with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, including as the team’s senior vice-president of sales and service since 2019.
Legends International has appointed David Garth as vice-president of commercial revenue.
Garth has previously held senior roles at Manchester United, Inter Milan and Rangers. In his new role, Garth will focus on driving revenue across Legends International’s growing portfolio of clients.
The New York Mets Major League Baseball franchise has hired Andy Goldberg as its new executive vice-president and chief marketing officer. Goldberg previously worked at General Electric in an advertising and marketing capacity.
Goldberg joins the Mets from American Express and replaces David Newman, who is shifting to a consulting role.
The Arizona Coyotes NHL team has appointed Nick Sakiewicz to the newly-created role of chief business officer.
Sakiewicz will report directly to president and chief executive Xavier A. Gutierrez and will lead sales and marketing efforts for the team. Sakiewicz has served as commissioner of the NLL since 2015, having previously worked as an executive with MLS.
Tom Ford has started a new role as UK marketing director for Aramark Northern Europe.
Ford joins Aramark after nine years at Compass Group UK & Ireland, where he most recently served as marketing director.
NASCAR has promoted Steve O’Donnell to the position of chief operating officer.
O’Donnell will continue to provide oversight of all NASCAR competition and racing operations, while adding track operations and strategic development to his remit. All NASCAR-owned track properties, track presidents and respective events will fall under his responsibilities.
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