Matt Hong

It’s clear why Hong recently ascended to his new post at Turner Sports. Under his direction, the company acquired Bleacher Report in 2012, which logged a 64% yearover- year increase in traffic this past April, according to Comscore. Meanwhile, NCAA March Madness Live was a whopping success in 2014, garnering 69.7 million live video streams across all platforms—that’s up 42% over last year’s tournament. The authenticated model allowed viewers to watch all 67 games on multiple platforms, making it a true trailblazer for TV Everywhere within the industry. Perhaps the most innovative was the tournament’s new “teamcasts” presentations of the Final Four National Semifinals, which allowed fans to watch team-specific productions on TNT and truTV. Hong also manages several other products, like PGA Championship Live, Postseason.TV for MLB Postseason coverage on TBS and TNT Overtime on NBA.com, which have proven to be clear successes in the digital arena.

What’s been your company’s biggest innovation this year? 

Turner Sports provided fans with an opportunity to enjoy the Final Four National Semifinal game their way with “teamcasts” or team-specific presentations. In addition to the traditional game telecast airing on TBS, fans could view team-specific presentations that tailored to the individual teams simultaneously on TNT and truTV. The personalized view presented the game with unprecedented local flavor, team-specific replays and custom show packaging.

What qualities do you look for when making a new hire?

The ability to manage and inspire their team—with an understanding of the importance of that, the willingness to constantly over-communicate, and a spirit of collaboration with others.