LIV Golf has announced the names of a team of leading figures from the worlds of sports and business who will manage the operational and strategic aspects of LIV Golf’s four-person roster, including day-to-day operations, sponsorship sales, marketing, and player relations.
Highlighting broad backgrounds from baseball, golf, tennis, and sports, these leaders will focus on using their knowledge to set strategic direction and create sustainable growth and long-term success, both on and off the course.
In line with LIV Golf’s stated goal of growing the game globally, these new leaders represent five different countries – Australia, Korea, South Africa, Sweden and the United States.
Jonas Mårtensson, former CEO of Mojang Studios – creator of the best-selling video game, Minecraft – joins Cleeks GC, captained by Martin Kaymer.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Baseball, and Gen.G Esports CEO Martin E. Kim takes over Iron Heads GC, which is managed by Kevin Na.
SPORTFIVE’s longtime Senior Vice President of Golf Jeff Koski directs the league’s first new team, Legion XIII, led by Jon Rahm.
Following top positions with ESPN, Yahoo!, IMG, and Untouchable Planet, Nick Adams leading Ripper GC is Australia’s Cameron Smith.
The South African GC Stinger, captained by Louis Oosthuizen, is led by his colleague Richard Glover, who is currently the Vice President of the ATP Tour.
“Attracting top talent in the industry not only brings a wealth of business knowledge to the table but is a testament to LIV Golf’s long-term growth,” said LIV Golf Senior Vice President, Head of Business Operations Katie O’Reilly. “We are committed to bringing an unprecedented, high-quality product to golf fans. Today’s news is the next step in realizing our franchise model. We look forward to watching our new team leaders thrive in our ecosystem, while focusing on driving brand equity and franchise value across our 13 locations.”
The new general managers of LIV Golf….
“Golf has always been an important part of my life, so it feels surreal to have the opportunity to combine my business knowledge with something I love so much,” says Jonas Mårtensson. “Moving on from golf will be an exciting challenge, and I look forward to helping my customer experience the sport and merchandise to help grow the Cleeks brand and fan engagement.”
Mårtensson’s main vision for the future of the franchise includes building a globally recognized name, leaving a lasting legacy in the community, and developing a high-performance team that will create memorable moments for fans and partners.
Martin Kim joins Iron Heads GC having spent five years leading commercial revenue and strategic partnerships for Gen.G Esports, a world-renowned esports and gaming organization operating in the US, Korea, and China.
Prior to Gen.G, Kim spent eight years in professional baseball working for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Major League Baseball in multiple capacities, including corporate partnerships, international marketing, global events, and player management with a focus on the Asia region. – Pacific.
“Right from the start I was drawn to LIV Golf’s long-term vision. It was the opportunity to lead a group of founders like Iron Heads that sold me on this role,” said Kim. “I am very excited to be a part of this new era of professional golf, with the goal of building Iron Heads into a successful global franchise.”
With a rich background in sports innovation and strategic growth from his position as Senior Vice President of Golf at SPORTFIVE, Jeff Koski is already guiding the LIV Golf League’s newest team, Legion XIII, to the next level this season, as he steps into the role back. in January.
Koski has already made a significant impact since joining Legion XIII, playing a key role in the recruitment and commercialization of the two biggest clubs with Santander Bank and Maestro Dobel Tequila.
“Being at the forefront of innovation in the sport is exciting, and I’m excited to play a small part in the future of golf,” Koski said. “Our team is dedicated to being the standard of professional club golf, setting the bar higher and higher on and off the course.”
Joining Ripper GC, Nick Adams takes up the position of General Manager of the Australian group, bringing a rich background with some of the most famous organizations in the world, including ESPN, WME/IMG, Yahoo!, and Sony Music.
Previously, the Australian native was the Chief Revenue Officer of Untamed Planet, a sports-focused entertainment company dedicated to environmental conservation.
“I am very excited to work within the LIV Golf organization to help develop the game of golf and grow the sport around the world,” said Adams. “Given my Aussie heritage, I am determined to grow the game on our world stage and build towards LIV Golf Adelaide year after year. In my role as GM of the Rippers, I will try to balance the community, the commercial ecosystem around the team, its talent and LIV. ”
Richard Glover brings over 20 years of expertise in sports management, strategic planning, and commercial delivery to his new role as General Manager of Stinger GC, which he will start in October.
He currently serves as Vice President of the ATP Tour, the world governing body for professional men’s tennis. In this capacity, Glover oversees special projects and the men’s professional player approach with strategy, budget, and revenue responsibilities for the ATP Challenger Tour, which includes 46 countries.
“Stinger GC is a club with a true South African heartbeat – down to earth and friendly, fun-loving, while playing as hard as possible on the golf course,” it said. Glover. “I’m excited to work with Louis and the whole team to build Stinger GC into a sustainable sports brand – one that has a global reach, and maintains a deep connection with South Africa.”
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