Industry News
SharpLink Gaming Announces Board and Audit Committee Changes
Company Welcomes Sports, Entertainment and Media Icon,
Robert Gutkowski, to Board of Directors
SharpLink Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBET) (“SharpLink” or the “Company”) today announced recent changes to its Board of Directors (the “Board”) and Audit Committee.
On February 16, 2024, the Board accepted the resignation of Adrienne Anderson as a director, Chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Compensation Committee, effective February 16, 2024. The resignation of Anderson was not the result of any disagreement with the Company, its management, the Board or any committee of the Board. The Board subsequently elected Leslie Bernhard, a current member of the Board, to serve as the new Chairperson of the Audit Committee, effective February 16, 2024.
In addition, the Board elected Robert Gutkowski as a new director and appointed him to serve as a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees, effective immediately.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, Gutkowski has proven to be a significant asset builder in the sports, entertainment and media industries. Among his key achievements was the landmark New York Yankees-Madison Square Garden Network $486 million cable distribution deal. This transaction forever changed the sports economic landscape, increased the value of the MSG Network by nearly 2,000%, and enabled the Yankees to dominate Major League Baseball media during the past two decades. In addition, he was the original architect behind radio entrepreneur Bob Sillerman’s roll-up of regional, independent concert promoters, which created SFX Entertainment – the first nationwide, vertically-integrated, concert promotion company widely recognized for transforming the multi-billion dollar live music concert industry.
From October 2014 through the present, Gutkowski has led RMG Sports Ventures LLC, a company he founded to originate and advise private equity and other institutional capital on investments in sports, entertainment and media. He recently co-originated the acquisition of True Temper Sports (the largest producer of golf shafts in the world) for Lincolnshire Management and made a substantial investment alongside Lincolnshire in True Temper.
In December 1991, Gutkowski was named President of Madison Square Garden, where he was responsible for the operations of the New York Knicks basketball team; the New York Rangers hockey team – which won the 1994 Stanley Cup Championship; MSG Communications – including the MSG Network, the nation’s largest regional cable network; MSG Entertainment and the MSG Facilities Group, which operated The Garden Arena and The Paramount Theater. He originally joined Madison Square Garden in 1985 and over the next six years held various senior executive positions, including President of the MSG Network. Under his leadership, the subscriber base of the MSG Network – the oldest and largest regional sports network in the country – more than doubled to 5.1 million subscribers. The Yankees, together with the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers, became the foundations of MSG Network’s year-round operation. In 1993 and 1994, the Garden was the most active building in the country in bookings and revenues and was named “Arena of the Year” by Pollstar Magazine.
In 1996, Gutkowski founded The Marquee Group, a worldwide sports and entertainment firm that managed, produced and marketed sports and entertainment events, as well as provided representation for athletes, entertainers and broadcasters. The Marquee Group, which became a public company in 1996, acquired many related companies, including Athletes and Artists, Sports Marketing and Television International, QBQ Entertainment, Tollin-Robbins Productions, Park Associates, Alphabet City Records, Cambridge Golf and ProServ, before being acquired by SFX Entertainment in 1999 for over $100 million.
Gutkowski is a graduate of Hofstra University, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.
Commenting on the Board changes, Rob Phythian, Chairman and CEO of SharpLink, stated, “There are no words to adequately express our appreciation to Adrienne for the sound and thoughtful guidance and support she has provided our leadership while serving as a director on the board of SharpLink Gaming, Ltd. since July 2021. I’m also very pleased to welcome new director Bob Gutkowski to our team. A true industry visionary renowned for his strategic brilliance, love of sports and big league deal-making success, Bob is an incredible addition to our Board and is a director whose experience will undoubtedly prove invaluable to SharpLink as we move our Company forward.”
Rush Street Gaming announced that casino and hospitality veteran Cliff Ehrlich has joined the company as chief operating officer.
Ehrlich assumes the role of Rush Street COO from Bill Keena, a longtime company and industry leader, who plans to retire later this year.
“I’ve admired Rush Street’s strong leadership and steady expansion over the past two decades. I’m thrilled to join this dynamic organization and look forward to contributing to the company’s ongoing success,” said Ehrlich.
Ehrlich’s career began in marketing at the Catskills’ Pines Resort Hotel in the 80s and transitioned in the 90s to casino development and operations. In 1996, he became co-owner of the Monticello Raceway and helped recruit the Oneida Indian Nation to build a casino on the property. Following an initial public offering, Ehrlich led Monticello Casino & Raceway as president, chief operating officer and general manager until 2013.
After consulting with Mohegan Sun regarding Upstate New York development opportunities, in 2015, Ehrlich joined The Downs Racetrack & Casino in Albuquerque, serving as general manager and chief operating officer. He later ran two casinos for The Navajo Nation — Northern Edge and Flowing Water. Since 2022, Ehrlich has been Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise’s chief operating officer, with oversight of four casinos, a resort destination hotel, travel plaza and food & beverage manufacturing.
“Cliff’s ground-up casino development experience, deep operations background and team leadership ensure that all five Rivers Casino properties remain in great hands. He will continue the strong forward momentum established by Bill Keena, for whom we wish the very best in retirement,” said Tim Drehkoff, CEO of Rush Street Gaming.
Wanna.com, the innovative daily fantasy sports gaming platform set to launch across the US, in August, announced the appointment of Chuck Bowling, former President and COO at MGM Resorts International, to its Board of Directors. With an impressive career overseeing prestigious properties such as the Mandalay Bay, Delano, Four Seasons Las Vegas and Luxor, Mr. Bowling brings a wealth of experience and strategic insight to the burgeoning enterprise.
As Wanna.com prepares for its initial launch in approximately 25 to 30 states, Mr. Bowling’s extensive expertise in hospitality and gaming will be instrumental in guiding Wanna.com and Wanna Parlay, through this exciting phase of growth and development. His leadership at MGM, where he was pivotal in enhancing guest experiences and driving operational excellence, aligns perfectly with Wanna.com’s vision of delivering unparalleled daily fantasy sports entertainment to users nationwide and internationally.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chuck Bowling to the Wanna.com Board of Directors. Chuck’s remarkable track record in the gaming and hospitality industry will be invaluable as we navigate the complexities of our launch and beyond. His strategic acumen and commitment to excellence resonate deeply with our mission to revolutionize the daily fantasy sports landscape,” said CEO/Founder of Wanna.com Jim Bob Morris.
Mr. Bowling expressed his enthusiasm for joining the Board, stating, “I am honored to be part of Wanna.com at such a pivotal moment in its journey. The company’s innovative approach to fantasy sports gaming with concepts such as Wanna Parlay, holds great promise, and I am excited to contribute to its success and growth.”
Online lottery platform Lotto.com has launched a new Digital Scratch ticket campaign with surprising creative developed by Havas New York as the brand’s agency of record.
Lotto.com launched their first-to-market Digital Scratch tickets offering in December 2022, which transformed how traditional paper scratch tickets are played. As Digital Scratch tickets offer customers the opportunity to experience the thrill of playing a physical scratch ticket in a digital, secure setting, the campaign taps the thrill of winning anytime.
As a build to the brand’s first campaign, “Welcome to Winever,” the new Digital Scratch campaign avoids category cliches like CGI fantasy worlds and big spenders, instead capturing traditionally “unlucky” moments, and turning them into winning ones. With this theme at the core of the creative, the campaign highlights unlucky practicalities of life, such as getting your car towed or unexpectedly getting splashed by a taxi driving through a puddle. In each scene, the unlucky scenario is transformed into a lucky one with the ease of a Digital Scratch win on Lotto.com.
“In an often unlucky world, Lotto.com’s Digital Scratch tickets are a reminder that a win could be just a scratch away. Scratch tickets currently make up two-thirds of the $100+ Billion U.S. lottery market and our pioneering Digital Scratch innovation marks a significant milestone for the industry and solidifies our position as a pioneer in the digital lottery space,” Thomas Metzger, CEO of Lotto.com, said.
The fully integrated campaign was led by Havas New York, with paid and earned media support from Havas Village agencies including Republica Havas, Havas Formula, and Havas CX. The creative will roll out across radio, TV, and streaming throughout the month of August, with social media, digital, and out-of-home to follow.
“Lotto.com is spearheading an industry transformation with the introduction of Digital Scratch tickets and we are excited to be a part of it. Unlucky moments are something that all of us can relate to, no matter how big or small. We strive to set our brands apart from competitors by authentically connecting with consumers, and this new creative demonstrates how easy it is to turn even the unluckiest moment into the luckiest one,” Dan Lucey, Chief Creative Officer & Co-CEO of Havas New York, said.
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