Turner Sports said it is promoting Howard Mittman to CEO of Bleacher Report.
Mittman, who had been chief revenue officer and chief marketing officer, will report to Bleacher Report CEO of founder Dave Finocchio until Finocchio leaves the company in June. After that, Mittman will report to Matt Hong, COO, Turner Sports.
“Howard has a wealth of industry experience to match his creativity, innovative thinking and unwavering passion for the Bleacher Report brand,” said Hong. “We’re confident in his abilities to lead the rapidly growing B/R business, and the talented team of people who work on B/R and House of Highlights every day, as we further deepen our connection with sports fans and create new experiences centered on the vibrant intersection of sports and culture.”
Mittman joined B/R in 2017 and has been in charge of revenue generation and marketing strategy. Before that he was chief business officer of Conde Nast’s men’s group. Previously he’d been with Popular Science, New York magazine, Mutual Funds, Financial Planning magazine and Sanford C. Bernstein.
“It was Dave Finocchio’s passion for identifying unmet needs of sports fans, and then delivering them the most relevant content to meet those interests, that originally drew me to Bleacher Report. And, today, it is B/R’s powerful relationship between sports and culture that resonates and inspires all of us, including our ever-expanding community of millennial and Gen Z fans,” said Mittman. “I’m equally excited and humbled to assume this role and I cannot thank Dave enough for building this incredible brand into what it is today. My goal is to continue honoring his vision as we further evolve its presence and elevate the brand to even greater heights.”
Bleacher Report was launched in 2007 by Finocchio and three high-school friends and sports fans. It was acquired by Turner, now a division of AT&T, in 2012 for $175 million. Finocchio has been CEO since 2013.
“I’m incredibly grateful to the many, many people who’ve helped make B/R so successful, going back to our humble beginnings,” said Finocchio. “This has been the experience of a lifetime, and I believe the work we put in over the past few years, in particular, helps set B/R up for great future success. I will continue rooting hard for Howard and the entire team.”
