PHILADELPHIA (November 17, 2021) – Playfly Sports, the emerging leader in sports marketing, media and technology, announced today the hiring of Christy Hedgpeth as President of Playfly Sports Properties. Hedgpeth, a sports and consumer marketing leader for more than 25 years, will oversee Playfly’s 30+ high school and collegiate multimedia rights properties with responsibility for driving strategy, operations and growth.
“Christy is an innovative leader and champion of people, highly regarded for having a meaningful and transformational impact throughout her career,” said Playfly Sports’ COO Craig Sloan. “A former student athlete and NCAA Champion, she is keenly aware of the power of collegiate athletics. As our MMR business continues to evolve, Christy is the right person to lead our next phase of growth.”
Hedgpeth joins Playfly after serving as the WNBA’s Chief Operating Officer since 2018. During her tenure, the league experienced unprecedented revenue growth and achieved a new level of brand relevance in the sports landscape. Under her leadership, the WNBA launched innovative revenue-generating platforms, realized a surge in merchandise sales, and drove significant growth in fan engagement
One of Adweek’s 2019 “Most Powerful Women in Sports,” Hedgpeth was previously the Vice President for Team Marketing and Business Operations servicing both the WNBA and NBA. Earlier in her career, Hedgpeth established and led Under Armour’s first digital business unit and was responsible for Spalding’s residential backboards and accessories business unit.
“Playfly’s strong commitment to innovation and transformation at all levels across the sports lifecycle was uniquely appealing and something I wanted to be a part of actualizing,” said Hedgpeth. “The dynamic and rapidly evolving collegiate space presents ripe opportunities for new types of partnerships, collaboration and sources of revenue. Throughout my career, I have been focused on enhancing the overall experience for athletes, fans and organizations, and I am thrilled to be working with the passionate team at Playfly who shares that mission and genuine desire.”
The starting shooting guard for Stanford University’s 1992 NCAA Championship Basketball Team, Hedgpeth graduated with a degree in Psychology before earning her MBA at Duke. Hedgpeth also played basketball professionally in the American Basketball League for three seasons.
She will assume leadership based in Playfly’s New York City office for Playfly Sports Properties, which now represents more than 30 unique properties across the high school and collegiate sports landscapes, including marquee college athletics brands such as LSU, USC, Virginia, Maryland, and Michigan State and the largest state high school athletic association in California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). Each property sells and manages the multimedia rights and strategic corporate partnerships for its athletic departments and associations, connecting top-tier brands with local fans.
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About Playfly Sports
Playfly Sports is a full-service sports marketing company operating where sports marketing, media & technology converge. Playfly Sports drives outcome-based solutions for brands reaching approximately 83% of all U.S. sports fans generating over 230bn impressions each year in pro, college, and high school sports. Utilizing the influence and durability of local sports fandom, Playfly Sports exclusive rights in the NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA, esports, and high school sectors drive value for our local, regional, and national brand partners. Playfly’s insights-infused multimedia and tech platforms drive innovation through scaled linear, digital, in-venue, and experiential marketing and engagement assets. Playfly Sports has the unique ability to partner, innovate, and advance the aspirations of athletes, brands, academic institutions, and sports fans across the U.S. Playfly Sports is Igniting Brands through the Love of Fans. Visit Playfly Sports online at playfly.com and follow Playfly Sports on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook: @PlayflySports.
www.playfly.com
