NEW YORK – September 15, 2022 – The XFL today announced that Jason Gonella has joined the League as Senior Vice President, Ticket Sales. Gonella will lead the planning and development of the XFL’s ticket sales, services, and operations for the League and each of the eight-team markets. He will report to Janet Duch, Chief Marketing and Content Officer.
“Jason is a seasoned industry veteran with decades of experience working at some of the most successful sports and entertainment venues and franchises in the U.S. His diverse expertise across ticketing, premium hospitality, and sponsorship sales will be critical for our League and help drive forward our dynamic ticketing product offerings and overall fan experience,” said Russ Brandon, President of the XFL.
In this role, Gonella will be responsible for all aspects of the League’s ticketing sales, strategy, and analytics. Gonella will develop and oversee a full suite of products, including season, group, and individual game tickets, as well as lead pricing, packaging, and retention strategies to drive revenue growth. Gonella will also be responsible for discovering and implementing innovative service-related technologies and utilizing these tools to measure the effectiveness of ticket sales and improve overall results. Additionally, he will develop go-to-market strategies while working closely with the League’s marketing team to implement ticket sales and retention-driven campaigns.
“A key focus of the League is how we connect with our fans in an innovative, immersive, and accessible way. Jason’s vast experience working with different venues and fan bases will allow us to engage with our fans in creative ways and integrate into our local communities. We are thrilled to have Jason on the team, and we’re excited to advance our ticketing strategy further as we prepare for the 2023 season,” added Duch.
Gonella brings over 25 years of leadership experience in ticketing to the XFL, joining the League from Quickstrike Partners, a sales consultancy he founded and led as CEO, working with various sports and entertainment clients, including Gotham FC of NWSL. Prior to Quickstrike, he was Vice President, Premium Seating at the Prudential Center under Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. Throughout his career, Gonella served in various leadership roles with Anschutz Entertainment Group and Staples Center, the Philadelphia Eagles and Lincoln Financial Field, the Minnesota Vikings and U.S. Bank Stadium, the New York Jets and MetLife Stadium, Legends Hospitality and Rose Bowl Stadium, Oak View Group, Wasserman Media Group and Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment.
The XFL will kick off on February 18, 2023 in partnership with its exclusive broadcast partner, The Walt Disney Company and ESPN. Season ticket deposits are available online for all teams at XFL.com/tickets.
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About XFL
The XFL’s ownership group, led by Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital Partners, is building a fan-first, fast-paced global professional football league with innovative rules and enhanced 360 game experience. The XFL will bring entertainment to world class football, with the goal of advancing the game of football and expanding player opportunities when it launches in February 2023.
