NFL and NBA veterans among key hires at Activision Blizzard's new esports division

Activision Blizzard has announced three key hires from the world of traditional sports to lead its new esports division.

Daniel Cherry has joined as chief marketing officer, Marc Kolin has come on board as vice president of finance and strategy, and Brandon Snow has been tapped for the role of chief revenue officer.

The three bring a wealth of experience from traditional sports, entertainment, and venue management.

With over 20 years of marketing experience, having most recently served as chief marketing and innovation officer for the New Jersey Devils, Cherry will lead viewership and brand awareness.

Kolin most recently worked for NBC Universal where he was responsible for analytics, financial planning and analysis, strategic initiatives among other responsibilities. Prior to that, he worked in business development for both the National Football League and the National Basketball Association.

Prior to joining Activision Blizzard, Snow worked with the National Basketball Association where he was senior vice president of team marketing and business operations. Before that he was SVP of global marketing partnerships at NBA China where he oversaw the partnership sales and activation business.

"We're committed to maintaining the highest degree of excellence and professionalism in our operation, as well as creating value for our fans, players, and partners with every aspect of our leagues, and the addition of Daniel, Marc, and Brandon to our management team reflects the depth of that commitment," said Pete Vlastelica, president & CEO of Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues and Major League Gaming.

"I'm thrilled that these three talented organisational leaders are bringing their years of sports and entertainment experience to our team, and I look forward to working with each of them to further drive our ambitious marketing, commercialisation, and business-planning initiatives."