Cabral oversees strategy and development of affiliate marketing distribution and launch plans for ESPN’s networks while also managing affiliate partnership marketing efforts surrounding top programming priorities like college football, NFL and SportsCenter. She’s most proud of her team’s recent promotion and partnerships secured around the College Football Playoff. With the games a big driver of subscriber acquisition and fan engagement, Cabral finds it rewarding to help partners achieve their goals with creative solutions. “Going into college football season this year, we had 100+ affiliate marketing initiatives in the marketplace, which will mark another robust promotional effort for ESPN College Football and the CFP.”
What professional accomplishments are you most proud of from the past 12 months?
I’m most proud of the promotion and strong partnerships our team secured around the College Football Playoff. With College Football being a marquee part of the ESPN portfolio and big driver for subscriber acquisition and fan engagement, it is great to help our partners achieve their goals and come up with creative solutions centered on our programming. Going into college football season this year, we had 100+ affiliate marketing initiatives in the marketplace, which will mark another robust promotional effort for ESPN College Football and the CFP.
Additionally, I am also part of the marketing team charged with launching the ACC Network. While the launch is scheduled for 2019—work is well underway and I am constantly impressed with the approach, collaboration, problem solving, and passion our team displays on regular basis as we all focus on a successful launch.
With all the disruption in the marketplace, how has the role of an affiliate marketer changed?
With the marketplace and pay TV eco-system being more complex than ever, as an affiliate marketer we need to consistently focus on aligning our partners goals and our own goals to develop opportunities and solutions that drive our businesses. The changing environment and disruption from differing audiences and demographics, technology and platforms, numerous entertainment and content offerings, to pure economics has put customer value first—necessitating the need for us to develop marketing initiatives with our brands and programming that engage and reach fans in meaningful ways that matter most. The changes have also led to the development of more robust, multi-platform partnerships across our brands.
What do you do for fun outside of work?
I love to throw at good party! From hosting family and friends at home for outdoor movie nights, summer water slide parties and entertaining around the holidays—I am always up for hosting the soiree. I also adore the time I spend with my niece and nephew.