ESPN promoted Seth Ader to vice president of marketing, effective October 29. A 13-year veteran of the company, Ader now oversees marketing for all league sports properties on ESPN in his new role, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS and all soccer properties, golf (The Masters, The Open Championship), tennis (all four grand slams including for the first time in 2015 the entire U.S. Open), the TCS New York City Marathon, Special Olympics World Games and Little League World Series.
“Seth is a mature and thoughtful executive with keen marketing and creative skills,” said Aaron Taylor, senior vice president of marketing. “He is a strong manager who inspires creativity in his team and is a champion of good ideas.”
Previously, Ader served as senior director, leading the marketing efforts for a wide array of sports properties, including the NFL, Fantasy Football, NBA, MLB, English Premier League, Little League World Series and, notably, the 2006, 2010, and 2014 FIFA World Cups. Additionally, Ader was responsible for the award-winning “This is SportsCenter” franchise for a number of years, maintaining the unique and consistent personality of that signature campaign.
A graduate of the University of Michigan, Ader joined ESPN in 2001 as a marketing manager, driving the marketing efforts of original entertainment programming, ESPN The Magazine and the launch of ESPN Deportes and ESPNHD networks. After two years, Seth was promoted to director of marketing responsible for the NFL and NBA.
Seth received a Sports Emmy award in 2011 for his collaboration with ESPN’s production team on elements for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In addition, work produced under Ader’s leadership has received numerous awards, including three Bronze Lions for “This is SportsCenter,” an Effie for Fantasy Football’s “It’s Good to Be Commissioner” campaign and several Sports Media Marketing Awards.
Prior to ESPN, Ader’s previous roles included vice president of marketing of Book4Golf.com, director of marketing and public relations for Tear Drop/Tommy Armour Golf Co., sales manager for Conde Nast Publications and corporate marketing manager for the formerly New Jersey, now Brooklyn Nets.