North American esports organisation TSM has appointed Stephan Cieplik as its Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).
In the role, Cieplik will lead partnership and revenue growth initiatives for the organisation’s roster of esports teams and content creators.
Cieplik joins TSM following a nine-year spell as the Senior Vice President of Global Partnership Sales at City Football Group, the owners of English football club Manchester City. According to a release, he is responsible for generating ‘more than $1.15bn (~£944.3m)’ in revenue over the course of his career in sports partnerships.
The appointment marks the first since the organisation suspended its $210m (~148m) naming rights deal with cryptocurrency exchange FTX. In November, the exchange filed for bankruptcy resulting in its logo disappearing from TSM’s jerseys and social media channels.
Despite the suspension of its naming rights deal, TSM continues to operate as one of North America’s most recognisable esports brands. In December, the organisation announced it will host a $100,000 (~£82,000) Apex Legends tournament featuring 20 of the region’s best teams.
Throughout 2022, the organisation has also bolstered its staff. In January, it named Dominic Kallas as Vice President of Esports. Meanwhile, the organisation hired Matthew Boyd as its Head of Research and Insights and Chris Insolera as Vice President of Sales in February.
Cieplik, TSM’s newly appointed CRO, spoke on his appointment: “I am thrilled to join TSM, a world-recognized leader and one of the highest-valued organisations in esports, and utilise my knowledge and experience in the sport of the future.
“The leadership team at TSM has impressed me with their vision to become the most entertaining, competitive, and successful esports organisation in the world. I am confident in my commitment to accelerate TSM’s growth ambitions by building and leading a dynamic, high-performing commercial operations division with industry-leading, innovative, and audience-engaging approaches to deliver future success to new heights.”
