Quick take:
- Zeller joins Crypto.com’s rapidly growing NFT business from ESPN.
- The strategic hire follows a wave of sports and entertainment executives who have crossed over into the NFT industry.
- Zeller will manage the launching and expanding of NFT programs with key strategic partners.
Crypto.com NFT has just announced the addition of Jeff Zeller as Senior Director of NFT Partnerships and Business Operations. Formerly the director of entertainment partnerships and marketing at ESPN, he also previously held senior roles at Sony Music and Apple.
This strategic hire follows a wave of sports and entertainment executives who have crossed over into the NFT industry where creators, artists and athletes are leveraging blockchain technology to build new relationships with fans and drive new revenue streams. On a sports-related note, Crypto.com spent $700 million on naming rights to the Downtown Los Angeles sports and entertainment venue formerly known as Staples Center, which has been renamed Crypto.com Arena since December 2021.
Launched in March 2021, under the leadership of former music industry executive Joe Conyers III, the Crypto.com/NFT platform has since become one of the preeminent NFT platforms, with drops from major sports organizations including the Philadelphia 76ers, Aston Martin, Formula1, UFC, as well as top creators such as Snoop Dogg, Heavy Metal Magazine, Death Row Records and countless digital creatives.
At ESPN, Zeller worked on content properties like “The Last Dance” and “30 for 30,” in addition to managing the licensed merchandise business for the global sports network. At Apple, he was an early team member managing content partnerships for iTunes and later served as associate director of digital strategy and executive communication at Sony Music Entertainment, where he managed strategy and communications for the 1,000-person group.
In his new role at Crypto.com NFT, Zeller will be reporting to Conyers and will manage the launching and expanding of NFT programs with key strategic partners.
“NFTs have presented creators a tremendous opportunity to better engage with fans across an array of industries, but have been particularly successful in both the sports and entertainment arenas,” said Conyers, EVP and Global Head of NFTs at Crypto.com. “As the technology continues to evolve and mature, so too will its uses — and Jeff’s experience in both industries is the perfect blend to help Crypto.com NFT expand our partnerships and take the platform to the next level. I’m excited to see what we can do together.”
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