The XFL, the American football league set to return again next year, has made a trio of senior appointments in Paul White, Anthony Zucconi, and Amanda Yan.
White and Zucconi return to the league, having previously held roles within it, and all bring with them significant experience from other sporting properties.
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The appointments continue the XFL’s building out of its leadership team ahead of its planned relaunch, with nine new executives having been hired late last year.
It had been relaunched in February 2020, 19 years after its first and only other season, only to be suspended five weeks later due to the coronavirus pandemic.
White’s role is that of vice president for consumer product group operations and licensing partnerships.
He will be responsible for all retail, merchandise, and licensing activities for the XFL itself and for its teams. This will include managing team apparel partners and developing new retail categories.
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By GlobalDataAs part of the team in 2020, he built out the infrastructure of XFLshop.com, determined product assortment, and managed retail sales in all eight team venues.
He has previously also worked for the NBA, MTV Networks, HBO, and the USTA national tennis body.
Zucconi will “lead the brand and creative teams to drive the overall brand strategy and development of marketing programs across the league and its teams, oversee performance marketing and fan engagement experiences.”
He was previously the head of marketing for the XFL's New York franchise during the 2020 season.
Elsewhere, he has worked at the Brooklyn Nets and at Madison Square Garden across the New York Knicks and Rangers.
Yan will oversee key financial and accounting functions.
She joins from the NBA, where she held the role of director for team and labor finance. There, she worked on the analysis of team and league financial performance in connection with the NBA's revenue-sharing plan.
Yan too has spent time at Madison Square Garden, working as manager of finance and accounting for the New York Knicks, Westchester Knicks, and New York Liberty.
Of the appointments, Russ Brandon, president for league and football operations at the XFL, said: “We are excited to have Paul and Anthony back with the league and thrilled to have Amanda join us as we gear up for 2023.
“Paul and Anthony's previous experience in retail and marketing is unmatched and they will both play pivotal roles in promoting our unique brand voice. Amanda has a wealth of expertise and will bring an innovative perspective to the league. I look forward to collaborating with all of them individually and continue to work towards our goal of building an exciting and engaging fan-focused experience.”
