Sports Media Report
The National Lacrosse League (@NLL) today announced that Katie Lavin has joined the NLL as Vice President of Marketing. A veteran in the brand, sports and event marketing space, Lavin brings over 16 years of experience to the NLL, having held senior marketing roles at 20thCentury Fox Filmed Entertainment, Wasserman Media Group, mcgarrybowen, and Wunderman Thompson (fka JWT). Most recently she was working as a consultant for brands that included SundaySky, Weatherman umbrellas, and the Potential Energy Coalition. Prior to that she was VP, Brand Management at Giant Spoon LLC, where she created, produced, and executed award-winning digital campaigns for clients such as littleBits as well as designed and developed Spotify’s editorial and cultural moments strategy among other projects.
“We welcome Katie Lavin to our senior management team at a time when the NLL continues to experience historic growth and business success,” Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz said. “Her expertise in developing and executing cutting edge programs and digital initiatives with some of the biggest and most disruptive brands in the world, as well as her knowledge of the game of lacrosse from her time as an elite NCAA athlete, will be invaluable to us as we move ahead into the next decade.”
“I am thankful to Nick, Jessica Berman and the team at the National Lacrosse League for giving me this new opportunity,” Lavin said. “There are few properties that combine my interest in integrated marketing, building fandom, and event execution with my love of the fast-growing game of lacrosse, and I am really looking forward to joining the team and helping continue to elevate both the league and the sport in every way possible.”
Lavin is a 2003 graduate of Cornell University where she played four years of varsity lacrosse for one of the Ivy League’s elite programs.
The NLL is the premier professional lacrosse league, ranking third in average attendance for pro indoor sports, with 13 teams in key markets across North America. The NLL experienced substantial growth last season with nearly a million total ticket sales, a 28 percent increase from 2017-18. Digital viewership also rose significantly through B/R Live the NLL’s streaming rights partner, showing substantial increases in total unit sales (+151 percent from last year), average unique viewers (+27 percent), and average minute audiences (+14 percent). Sponsorship revenues are projected at a 29 percent increase from 2018 into 2019.
For the most up to date information and breaking news, sign up for the NLL newsletter at NLL.com. Also follow Deputy Commissioner Jessica Berman and Commissioner Sakiewicz on Twitter @JessicaBerman1 and @NLLcommish, respectively.
