DraftKings Appoints Janet Holian As New CMO
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) platform DraftKings has announced the appointment of Janet Holian as chief marketing officer, after serving as a strategic advisor to the company since its founding in 2012. She will oversee games, revenue, customer acquisition, retention, advertising, brand licensing and more.
Prior to joining DraftKings, Holian was on the Vistaprint executive team for 11 years, including in the role of global CMO, where she was responsible for all global revenue. Upon her departure, the company’s revenue was more than $1bn per year.
"Janet is a trusted advisor, a talented marketing executive and a steady and experienced leader," said Jason Robins, DraftKings Chief Executive Officer. "I have long relied on her advice and guidance and am thrilled that she is joining DraftKings as our Global Chief Marketing Officer. Janet will confidently lead us into new growth areas and ensure that our marketing and advertising are best-in-class.”
DraftKings is the exclusive DFS partner of Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Hockey League (NHL), NASCAR and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
According to Yahoo Finance and iSpot.tv, DraftKings and main competitor, FanDuel, spent nearly $30m combined in the first week of the National Football League (NFL) season.
Boston-based DraftKings, and FanDuel, are currently navigating legal waters, particularly in New York State, where attorney general Eric Schneiderman declared that DFS games constitute gambling and are illegal under state law. DraftKings and FanDuel launched an appeal to overturn the decision. Both are currently operating in New York until the case moves to the next phase.