Longtime ESPN executive and collegiate sponsorship veteran, Rusty Reed is joining FishBait Solutions (http://www.fishbaitsolutions.com) as their new Chief Revenue Officer and equity partner. He is known in the industry for his extraordinary relationships with marketers and agencies, as well as a results-driven sponsorship sales expert, having designed many of ESPN Events’ multi-platform / multi event partnerships over the last decade.
During Reed’s 12-year career at ESPN he helped lead dramatic growth in college football’s post season (Bowl Season) and the burgeoning ESPN Events portfolio. These collegiate events represent over 450 hours of live content across ESPN’s platforms and became economic drivers in 25-plus communities nationwide, creating more than $400 million of economic impact annually and bringing college football to emerging communities.
Reed holds the distinction of being one of the most prolific and successful negotiators of college bowl game entitlements at ESPN – having sold 13 in college football and 16 total entitlements with three college basketball titles.
Prior to joining ESPN, Reed spent his entire career in sports, first in sports management, serving as Executive Vice President of Pro Players Inc. representing professional athletes (NBA / MLB) in contract negotiations and was key in building the European basketball stable for Pro Players.
“The world of sports sales, management, sponsorship engagement, and event execution is changing every day,” said FishBait’s Chief Creative Officer and co-founder, Rick Jones. “Adding Rusty to our trusted and experienced team ensures we can bring dynamic, strategic thinking, a stronger revenue lens along with extraordinary energy to our clients."
Reed noted: “At a time of significant shifts in the worlds of media and marketing, there are both extraordinary challenges and enormous opportunities for sponsors and fans everywhere. I am incredibly excited to join the esteemed and savvy group of veteran marketers and strategists at FishBait.”
About FishBait Solutions
FishBait Solutions, LLC was founded in early 2021 by Rick Jones, Ron Cook and Rob Temple. Combining existing agencies and decades of experiences and connections, the agency counts numerous national brands as clients. FishBait sells and activates sponsorships within six divisions: American Heritage, Collegiate Sports, Youth Sports, Country Music, Travel/Food Festivals and Outdoor Lifestyle. With offices in eight states, it harnesses a dedicated team of seasoned strategic marketing and media executives, with expertise in experiential marketing, consulting, sales, communications strategy, content production and more.
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