Greg Downey
Principal
Principal
Greg Downey has amassed over twenty years in sports and entertainment as a trusted business strategist, marketer, and brand development and affairs executive for Fortune 500 companies, international organizations, and professional athletes. His background in television, sports, and entertainment as a senior executive is unique in its breadth across all forms of sports and entertainment content and distribution; from major live music and sporting events, televised productions, and movies, to digital outlets, social media, gaming, and home entertainment.
An attorney by training, Greg brings an unparalleled wealth of experience and insight into the development and activation of branded sports and entertainment, especially in the areas of sponsorship development. He began his career as a sports agent and marketer, representing professional athletes’ marketing and endorsement endeavors and league contract negotiations. His primary client was Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. Greg represented Jim and helped grow Jim Kelly Enterprises, a sport marketing agency that develops and manages strategic integrated marketing alliances between consumer goods companies and sports properties and athlete endorsers. Greg also served as the Executive Director of Jim’s charity – Kelly for Kids Foundation – where he managed and operated charity galas and a celebrity golf tournament.
Mr. Downey later was Director, Business Development and Entertainment Properties, at the United States Olympic Committee, where he held senior leadership positions in marketing, broadcasting and business development, including managing the USOC’s relationships with the 39 Olympic sports governing bodies to build their revenue through sponsorship, marketing, licensing and broadcast rights. Greg created the USOC’s partnership with College Sports Television (now CBS College Sports) and its partnership with Mark Cuban’s HDNet to broadcast Olympic sports year-round. He also launched the USOC's Entertainment Properties Division, which produced several films with Bud Greenspan, as well as the acclaimed Disney film Miracle staring Kurt Russell as famed 1980 U.S. Olympic Team hockey coach Herb Brooks.
After the USOC, Greg joined NBC Universal in Hollywood, as its Vice President of Branded Entertainment. Greg pioneered NBC’s Branded Entertainment endeavors -- developing, structuring and negotiating the complex arrangements that allow for the integration of corporate brands into NBC Universal television and feature film content.
Greg was subsequently recruited by The Coca-Cola Company to be Group Director and head of its Entertainment Marketing Division, a unit that utilizes entertainment platforms such as feature films, television, music and gaming to market Coca-Cola’s brands. His experience includes the brands’ feature film and celebrity relationships, video game sponsorships, and DVD/CD launch partnerships. He also spearheaded MyCokeFest, Coke’s annual music festival at the NCAA Final Four, featuring such talent as Daughtry, Sugarland, Maroon 5, Fergie and Taylor Swift.
Following his stint at Coca-Cola, Greg was recruited to be Senior Director; Brand and Consumer Marketing at NASCAR, building the NASCAR brand and fan base. As part of his accomplishments at one of sports’ biggest brands, Greg established NASCAR’s multicultural marketing division. Most recently, Greg was Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at the LPGA, overseeing the areas of Corporate Partnerships, Business Development, Licensing and Research.
Mr. Downey received his B.S from The Pennsylvania State University and his J.D. from The State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. He is a member of the faculty at Full Sail University, where he teaches courses in Law and Marketing.
[email protected]
An attorney by training, Greg brings an unparalleled wealth of experience and insight into the development and activation of branded sports and entertainment, especially in the areas of sponsorship development. He began his career as a sports agent and marketer, representing professional athletes’ marketing and endorsement endeavors and league contract negotiations. His primary client was Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. Greg represented Jim and helped grow Jim Kelly Enterprises, a sport marketing agency that develops and manages strategic integrated marketing alliances between consumer goods companies and sports properties and athlete endorsers. Greg also served as the Executive Director of Jim’s charity – Kelly for Kids Foundation – where he managed and operated charity galas and a celebrity golf tournament.
Mr. Downey later was Director, Business Development and Entertainment Properties, at the United States Olympic Committee, where he held senior leadership positions in marketing, broadcasting and business development, including managing the USOC’s relationships with the 39 Olympic sports governing bodies to build their revenue through sponsorship, marketing, licensing and broadcast rights. Greg created the USOC’s partnership with College Sports Television (now CBS College Sports) and its partnership with Mark Cuban’s HDNet to broadcast Olympic sports year-round. He also launched the USOC's Entertainment Properties Division, which produced several films with Bud Greenspan, as well as the acclaimed Disney film Miracle staring Kurt Russell as famed 1980 U.S. Olympic Team hockey coach Herb Brooks.
After the USOC, Greg joined NBC Universal in Hollywood, as its Vice President of Branded Entertainment. Greg pioneered NBC’s Branded Entertainment endeavors -- developing, structuring and negotiating the complex arrangements that allow for the integration of corporate brands into NBC Universal television and feature film content.
Greg was subsequently recruited by The Coca-Cola Company to be Group Director and head of its Entertainment Marketing Division, a unit that utilizes entertainment platforms such as feature films, television, music and gaming to market Coca-Cola’s brands. His experience includes the brands’ feature film and celebrity relationships, video game sponsorships, and DVD/CD launch partnerships. He also spearheaded MyCokeFest, Coke’s annual music festival at the NCAA Final Four, featuring such talent as Daughtry, Sugarland, Maroon 5, Fergie and Taylor Swift.
Following his stint at Coca-Cola, Greg was recruited to be Senior Director; Brand and Consumer Marketing at NASCAR, building the NASCAR brand and fan base. As part of his accomplishments at one of sports’ biggest brands, Greg established NASCAR’s multicultural marketing division. Most recently, Greg was Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at the LPGA, overseeing the areas of Corporate Partnerships, Business Development, Licensing and Research.
Mr. Downey received his B.S from The Pennsylvania State University and his J.D. from The State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. He is a member of the faculty at Full Sail University, where he teaches courses in Law and Marketing.
[email protected]
