By Jonathan Easton

Amazon has announced the hire of former Nike executive Marc Patrick as it continues its push into live sports.

Patrick had served for 20 years at Nike before shifting to alternative food company Beyond Meat. At Amazon, Patrick will work as the company’s global head of sports marketing.

Confirming the appointment in a memo, Amazon Studios and Amazon Prime Video chief marketing officer Ukonwa Ojo said that Patrick “will be responsible for developing breakthrough multi-media entertainment campaigns for our live sports offerings and will work closely with the NFL as the marketing lead for Thursday Night Football on Prime Video.”

Amazon last year agreed a deal worth US$75 million per season for the Thursday Night Football NFL fixture, while it reportedly is eyeing a greater stake in the league’s rights for US$1 billion.

Elsewhere, Amazon has rights to the likes of the English Premier League in the UK, and has a significant portfolio of tennis rights around the world.

Ujo wrote: “As we all know, live sports are a key driver of growth for Prime Video. Marc’s expertise in executing winning sports marketing campaigns on behalf of some of the world’s best-known brands will ensure success in building customer awareness for our premium sports content. He will lead the team responsible for creating compelling marketing plans that effectively integrate mass-media, social media, promotional activities and other means of engaging sports fans on a global scale.”