Turner Promotes Funk to Sports Partnership Role

Turner Sports promoted Will Funk to executive VP, sales and property partnerships, a new post.

Funk, who had been senior VP of sponsorship integration and business development, will continue to report to Jon Diament, executive VP of Turner Sports ad sales.

In his new post, Funk will develop and managing long-term marketing partnerships built around Turner Sports properties such as NBA basketball, March Madness and the new eSports league.

“Will has played a critical role in expanding our NCAA corporate marketing program, while also developing signature marketing partnerships around high profile NBA content,” said Diament. “Premium sports continue to be a leading environment to engage with highly desirable audiences, and we believe we have only scratched the surface on how we can partner with brands. This new role is key to our mission to build out longer term, client-first marketing partnerships that allow us to enhance existing relationships and deliver greater impact for brands.”

Funk has been with Turner Sports for about 15 years. He joined Turner from the NBA, where he was senior director of global media programs. Before that he was with Madison Square Garden.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.