The NBA has named Tammy Henault as its chief marketing officer. This appointment will help the league do an even better job at engaging with their fans.
Henault will lead all global marketing efforts for the NBA, “a global powerhouse with an incredible fanbase,” and its affiliate leagues. She will be based at the league’s headquarters in New York City and report directly to Adam Silver, who was promoted from deputy commissioner to commissioner after David Stern retired as the long-time commissioner.
Henault brings her breadth of experience in consumer engagement, branding and digital marketing, along with strategic leadership building brands in the digital age at scale.
In 2021, Henault led the marketing strategy for the global launch of Paramount+, which was named the year’s No. 1 fastest growing brand in America by Morning Consult and drove record subscriptions.
Henault said that she “couldn’t be more thrilled for the opportunity to join such an incredible organization. I’m looking forward to meeting all the teams doing such innovative, amazing work and continue building upon an incredible start to the season.”
“Tammy is an award-winning marketing and media executive with terrific experience and a proven track record in audience acquisition, retention and engagement,” Tatum said in announcing her hire. “As the NBA continues to prioritize our direct-to-consumer offerings, we are excited for Tammy to join our team and help us forge meaningful connections with NBA fans around the world.”
Henault’s experience with digital marketing, consumer engagement and branding will help the NBA reach fans in new ways. She is a veteran of the entertainment industry, having spent more than 20 years working with companies such as Disney and Paramount Pictures. She has worked closely with many brands and agency and is a well-known figure in the media and advertising industry.
Henault said in a statement, “I am inspired by the league’s mission to build community through the game and look forward to working in partnership with internal and external stakeholders to continue to bring innovative marketing to NBA fans around the world.”
This comes at an important time in the NBA, as the NBA’s current TV rights deal expires in 2024-25. And the $2.6 billion that Disney’s ESPN and WarnerMedia’s Turner properties pay each year under their current deal will probably look like chump change compared to what the NBA is expected to fetch next time around. A CNBC report earlier this year projected the total value of the next deal could easily triple—to $75 billion—over an eight-year period.
We’ve been told that streaming tech companies want to be in with the NBA and could be the ones to take over the rights to the NBA. This would upset the apple cart and change the competitive balance between streaming and linear TV. However, we’re not seeing the tech companies do much more than make incremental advances, like Amazon securing NFL rights for Thursday games.
Heault’s move to the NBA is expected to be well-received by fans. Her experience will be a great asset for the league.
 Prior to Paramount, Henault served as managing director of consumer marketing for digital products at the N.Y. Times. Search firm Egon Zehnder was used in the hiring process.
