Stamford, Conn., April 1, 2019 – The XFL today announced that Jordan Schlachter, most recently Chief Marketing Officer of the National Basketball Players Association and President of its marketing and revenue arm, THINK 450, has been named Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer. Also, Derek Throneburg, most recently Vice President of Customer Insight and Engagement for Pacers Sports & Entertainment, joins the league as Senior Vice President of Team Business Operations.
Schlachter will be responsible for building the XFL’s sponsorship and corporate partnership business and overseeing the new league’s advertising, marketing, communications, and consumer product initiatives.
Throneburg will work directly with each of the XFL’s eight team presidents to help engage with fans and the community, sell tickets, build local promotional initiatives, and develop the game day experience.
Both Schlachter and Throneburg will report to Jeffrey Pollack, XFL President and Chief Operating Officer.
“Jordan and Derek are proven leaders who bring the energy and spirit we need to successfully launch and then grow,” said Pollack. “Neither is afraid to experiment or challenge traditional thinking and Vince McMahon and I welcome them warmly to the XFL family.”
About Jordan Schlachter
Schlachter became the NBPA’s first CMO in 2015 and helped create its THINK 450 unit, becoming its first President in 2017. From 2012 to 2014, he served as Executive Vice President for The Marketing Arm and before that worked with iHeartMedia as Vice President for Integrated Media and Marketing. Earlier, he worked as Managing Director and Head of New Business Development and Athlete Marketing for the United States Olympic Committee; Vice President, Marketing for the New York Knicks; and Vice President, Marketing, Content Sales and New Media for MTV Networks. Schlachter’s professional career began at the National Basketball Association and NBA Properties.
Schlachter holds a bachelor’s degree in American History from Harvard University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.
About Derek Throneburg
As Vice President of Customer Insight and Engagement for Pacers Sports & Entertainment — whose properties include the NBA Indiana Pacers, WNBA Indiana Fever, NBA G-League Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and Pacers Gaming of the NBA2K League — Throneburg led digital and social media, customer retention, and fan journey strategy. He joined Pacers Sports & Entertainment in
2012 as Vice President, Ticket Sales Strategy, and held two other vice president-level positions before assuming his most recent role in 2018. At different points, Throneburg managed ticket sales, customer retention, marketing, advertising, digital, social media, analytics, and marketing technology.
Before joining Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Throneburg spent ten years in various ticket sales and management roles with MLB’s St. Louis Cardinals, beginning as a direct sales representative in 2002 and advancing to Director, Ticket Development.
Throneburg graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from the University of Illinois, where he also played on the Fighting Illini baseball team. He sits on the advisory board of the Illinois Sports Business Conference and is a member of Salesforce Marketing Cloud’s Customer Advisory Board.
About The XFL
The XFL will reimagine football for the 21st century when it kicks off the weekend of February 8-9, 2020. The new league is committed to delivering a fan-centric, innovative experience, including fast-paced games and a family-friendly environment, complemented by cross-platform viewing options and real-time fan engagement.
Football is America’s favorite sport boasting over 85 million fans, but the traditional season is just too short. Seeing a tremendous opportunity to fill the void, Vince McMahon, XFL Founder and Chairman announced on January 25, 2018, the launch of a new league, which he is personally funding. McMahon is building the XFL with the same commitment and resolve that he has demonstrated building WWE into a global media and sports entertainment powerhouse.
Delivering authentic, high energy football for the whole family at an affordable price, the XFL will offer fast-paced games with fewer play stoppages and simpler rules. The league will launch with eight teams, 45-man active rosters, and a 10-week regular season schedule, with a postseason consisting of two semifinal playoff games and a championship game. The XFL will also establish a health, wellness and safety program that meets the needs of today’s athletes.
The XFL will embrace the latest on and off-field technology, providing live game coverage, content and real-time engagement across multiple platforms, giving fans greater access than ever before. The XFL is committed to building grassroots relationships with local organizations in its host cities through social responsibility partnerships, and the XFL will enjoy the support of WWE’s many extraordinary resources and promotional capabilities.
The XFL will launch next year in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Washington D.C.
For more information, visit XFL.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
