A successful business executive with a knack for turning unusual corners of sports into global sensations, Jeff Pollack has taken on the challenge of creating a world-class basketball league. The XFL founder and former World Series of Poker president teamed up with McGrady to launch the OBL.
A seasoned marketing and communications professional with two master’s degrees, Pollack founded the original sports trade publication The Daily in 1994. He also served as VP/Marketing and Corporate Communications for the NBA.
XFL
The XFL is back, with a new president and chief operating officer. Jeffrey Pollack, the former Los Angeles Chargers executive, has been named league president and COO. He will lead the league’s strategic planning and business operations, including the search for a media partner that will air its games.
The new XFL is a revamped version of the old league, which had been owned by Vince McMahon. It is now owned by Dwayne Johnson, his ex-wife Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital.
Its roster includes eight teams, including the San Antonio Brahmas and Houston Roughnecks. The league will have a 10-week season that runs from Feb. 18 through April 22. It will also feature two playoff games and one championship game, which will be played in May.
Among the XFL’s gameplay innovations is a 35-second play clock rather than the traditional 40-second count. This change should theoretically create more offensive plays because the clock continues running on incomplete passes and out-of-bounds plays before the two-minute warning in each half.
Another innovation is a rule that allows a team to attempt a one-, two- or three-point conversion following a touchdown. This type of kick is rare in the NFL, but the XFL decided to bring it in.
There is also a fourth-and-15 conversion option in the fourth quarter. If the team converts it, they retain possession at their own 25-yard line and the other team must then run a ball or throw a pass to move the ball to the opponent’s 15-yard line.
This is a good idea for the XFL because it makes the game more exciting and gives fans something to cheer about. It would be great to see the NFL try this, too.
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the planet. It has been around for over 40 years and is a yearly event held in Las Vegas. It has a long history and is home to many exciting stories.
The series has been run by a number of people throughout its history, including Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan and Phil Hellmuth. The series is known for its incredible prize money, which has been awarded to some of the most famous players in poker history.
Pollack joined the WSOP in 2005 and was responsible for its growth during his tenure. He helped to increase the event’s attendance and made it a global sports and entertainment phenomenon.
He also expanded the WSOP’s tournament offerings in Las Vegas. This allowed for more entrants, which drew more attention to the event and resulted in more prize money being awarded.
During Pollack’s tenure, the WSOP grew to become the largest and most prestigious poker tournament in the world. He also launched a new version of the WSOP in Europe, which became a huge hit in that region.
There are a number of different poker variants that are played at the WSOP, and each game has a different strategy. Some of the most popular games include Omaha, high-low stud and Texas hold’em.
NASCAR
One of the most popular sports in America, NASCAR began humbly enough with informal races held at various venues around the country. Eventually, stock car racing became an organized sport and was brought into the spotlight by William “Bill” France, who founded NASCAR in 1948 to promote and organize racing on tracks.
Today, NASCAR is a booming business that boasts an ever-expanding fan base. It hosts spectacular races in the US and abroad and has an extensive network of television shows that draw viewers from all over the world.
The sport has a long history and has undergone a number of changes over the years. Some of these include a new points system in 1972, the introduction of a new sponsor, a new era of drivers and more.
In the 1970s, NASCAR was largely dominated by Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough. These drivers had won eight championships by the time they retired, which marked a turning point in the sport’s evolution.
During this time, the racing circuit began to expand across the country with the addition of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Speedway. The popularity of the sport expanded even further with the advent of television and the growth in corporate advertising.
With the rise in popularity came the need to improve the safety of drivers and their vehicles. As a result, NASCAR began researching and testing the latest designs for cars. They eventually developed the Car of Tomorrow, a design that is more effective at protecting drivers and their passengers.
There are several different series within the NASCAR family including the Cup Series, the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series. The Cup Series is the highest level of competition and consists of cars with higher horsepower. The Xfinity Series is the middle level and is often treated as a proving ground for up-and-coming stars.
The Daily
Pollack served as president and chief executive of the XFL in 2019 before he left to join a new ownership group. Before that, he was chief executive of the World Series of Poker and a special adviser to NFL Los Angeles Chargers. He has helped rethink and recalibrate many sports-related brands and organizations.
Jeffrey Pollack is a media and sports industry veteran who has a history of driving catalytic change and growth for family-owned, private equity-backed and corporate-based ventures. A strategic thinker, he is also an aggressive go-getter who can act tactically to implement his plans.
His leadership experience in the sports, entertainment, and media industries has been recognized by his peers. He was the founder and former President and Publisher of The Sports Business Daily, an original trade publication that grew into the sports industry’s leading daily source of news and information. He has also been a consultant to the National Basketball Association and NASCAR Digital Entertainment.
He is an Emmy-Award winning media and sports industry veteran who has a track record of helping businesses and brands rethink and recalibrate their strategies and operations. Known for his innovative approach to strategic planning and execution, Pollack is the guiding force behind several successful projects in the sports, media, and technology sectors.
After he joined the World Series of Poker, Pollack quickly established himself as a savvy entrepreneur who is not afraid to take risks in order to create new opportunities and grow. When he led the WSOP from 2005 to 2009, it shattered attendance records, became a worldwide sports and entertainment phenomenon, and crossed the $1 billion mark in prize money awarded.
Before joining the WSOP, Pollack was vice president of marketing at Harrah’s Casino and a runner and softball player. He was also the director of several movies, including Booty Call and Lost & Found.
