A Greek in the position of managing director of the NBA in Europe and the Middle East

Staff position at NBA a Greek took over. The reason for him George Aivazoglouwho took his place managing director of NBA Europe and the Middle East.

Aivazoglou was until recently Frtemporary Managing Director of NBA Europe and the Middle Easthaving been, since June 2020, head of the Fan Engagement and Direct-to-Consumer department. He will continue to be based in the league’s London offices and report to NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum.

With nearly 20 years of digital media experience in the entertainment, telecommunications and sports sectors, Ayvazoglu will oversee the league’s business and basketball operations in Europe and the Middle East, focusing on growing the NBA’s popularity and business in the region.

Since joining the NBA, Ayvazoglu has significantly enhanced the league’s initiatives, driving record numbers of subscribers and viewers across its social and digital platforms in Europe. In particular, last season it achieved more than 1 billion video views on the NBA App and the league’s 18 local social media platforms in the region. He has also been instrumental in expanding the league’s footprint in the Middle East, notably through the NBA’s partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, bringing live NBA games to the Arabian Gulf and establishing youth basketball development programs.

“George has been instrumental in the league’s efforts to grow basketball in Europe and the Middle East over the past four years and is best suited to lead our operations there.Tatum said. “His business acumen and deep understanding of the media and sports industry will be extremely beneficial as we further expand the NBA’s presence in the region».

“I look forward to continuing to work with our colleagues in London, Madrid and regional offices around the world to accelerate the push of basketball and the NBA to new heights in Europe and the Middle East“, said Aivazoglou. “Although basketball and the NBA have a rich and storied tradition in the region, I believe we are barely scratching the surface of the potential for our sport to grow».

Prior to joining the NBA, Ayvazoglu was Eurosport’s Chief Marketing Officer, overseeing the brand’s global efforts to attract and retain new subscribers, as well as being responsible for its overall strategy across linear and digital platforms. He was also Chief Marketing Officer at fintech startup Ezbob, held leadership positions at Sky and T-Mobile International, and was a trustee of Sense – a UK-based charity supporting people born with visual and hearing impairment.

George Aivazoglou, originally from Thessaloniki, holds a master’s degree in marketing from the Athens University of Economics and Business, while his degree in international business and economics was obtained from the University of Macedonia.