Watson was co-founder of recently acquired Eleven

Marc Watson DAZN Group

DAZN Group has named Marc Watson as its chief commercial officer.

This comes shortly after the company completed its acquisition of Eleven, which Watson co-founded. Fellow co-founder Andrea Radrizzani has taken a place on DAZN’s board as executive director.

Watson will lead the rights and content acquisition strategy and drive other commercial initiatives across DAZN Group. DAZN CEO Shay Segev recently named the UK as a “high priority” market for the streaming platform, confirming that it will bid for Premier League rights at the next auction.

He replaces replaces Jacopo Tonoli, who after 14 years with the company, is ”embarking on new ventures”. Tonoli has been the CCO since the launch of DAZN in 2016, and will remain a special advisor to the company.

Prior to founding Eleven in 2015 with Radrizzani, Watson was the chief executive for BT’s television business, where he devised and launched BT Sport, including securing its first ever Premier League rights. 

Segev commented: “Marc has an impeccable track record in the sports media and entertainment sector. His experience will be invaluable to us as we continue to innovate and improve the way people around the world enjoy watching sports. I would like to thank Marc’s predecessor, Jacopo Tonoli, who has been with DAZN since 2008 and played a key role in developing DAZN into the extraordinary business it is today. We wish him all the best for the future.”

Tonoli added: “I am incredibly proud to have been a part of the growth of DAZN. The opportunities to secure major rights acquisitions, such as Serie A, LaLiga, UEFA Champions League as many others, that contributed to our growth in key European markets will always be a highlight of my time here. As I move on to new challenges, I am honoured to continue serving as a Special Advisor and will always cherish my time at the company.”

Watson said: “DAZN’s ambition and customer proposition is hugely compelling. They are investing and developing a sports entertainment offer that is setting new standards for the way fans enjoy sport and delivering engaging and interactive products that will showcase rights holders’ content. I am excited to be joining such an ambitious and committed team of likeminded professionals for the next chapter of DAZN’s journey.”