Pay-TV streaming startup FuboTV has hired Ben Grad — who joins the company after 10 years at Verizon — as North American head of content strategy and acquisition.
In the newly created position, Grad reports to CFO Joel Armijo and is based in FuboTV’s new New York City headquarters at 1330 Avenue of the Americas.
Grad is responsible for content acquisition strategy, packaging, affiliate relations and contract negotiations with FuboTV’s North American content partners. He’s also responsible for the company’s development of a new viewership analytics platform.
“Ben’s deep industry insight, energy and proven track record is the perfect addition to fuboTV’s pioneering sports-first service,” Armijo said in a statement.
At Verizon, Grade most recently was executive director of content strategy and acquisition, leading negotiations with content providers and sports rights holders. Before to joining the telco in 2007, Grad was head of strategy at Fuse and was a member of Time Warner’s corporate strategic planning group. Before that he negotiated partnership agreements and developed strategy with Universal Music Group’s eLabs digital group.
Grad began his career at strategy consulting firm Marakon Associates. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University and an MBA in finance and marketing from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
FuboTV launched in January 2015 as a streaming soccer service for U.S. fans, and has since expanded its over-the-top offering with general entertainment and news channels in a bid to compete with other “virtual” pay-TV providers. The company’s Fubo Premier entry-level bundle, launched this spring, offers more than 60 channels at an intro rate of $35 per month.
FuboTV has raised $75.6 million in funding to date, including a $55 million Series C round that closed in June 2017, led by Northzone with participation from 21st Century Fox, Sky and Scripps Networks Interactive.
