The Turner Sports division of US cable-television broadcaster Turner Broadcasting System has promoted Matt Hong to the newly formed position of chief operating officer.
Hong will oversee all aspects of Turner’s involvement in setting the strategic direction and leading day-to-day operations of the NBA basketball league’s various digital assets, including NBA TV, NBA App, NBA League Pass and NBA.com. Turner Sports co-manages the NBA Digital portfolio alongside the league.
Hong will add responsibility for programming of Turner Sports’ assets across the TNT, TBS and truTV networks, and will continue to oversee strategy, rights acquisitions, marketing and digital operations.
Hong will also continue to manage day-to-day business relationships with the NCAA college sports organisation, Major League Baseball and golf’s PGA of America.
The role also incorporates the Bleacher Report sports news website, as well as the NCAA Digital, NCAA March Madness Live, PGA.com, PGA Championship Live and the Ryder Cup suite of digital offerings.
As part of Hong’s new role, Turner Sports’ senior vice-president of programming, Albert Vertino, will report to him. Bleacher Report chief executive, Dave Finocchio; Turner Sports’ senior vice-president of business, Val Immele; and Turner Sports’ senior vice-president of digital, Mark Johnson will also report to Hong, who will himself continue to report to Turner Sports president Lenny Daniels.
Hong previously served as executive vice-president and general manager of Turner Sports, a position he held since 2014. Prior to that, he worked as senior vice-president and general manager of sports operations.