Austin, Texas, Sept. 17, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Circuit of The Americas (COTA) today announced that Jason Dial has joined its executive team in the newly created role of president. Dial, who has enjoyed a distinguished career at Procter and Gamble (P&G) in sports marketing and most recently served as chief marketing officer for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team, will report directly to Steve Sexton, who will continue as chief executive officer. Dial will assume his new duties on Oct. 1.
"We're excited to add Jason Dial to our team at a time when Circuit of The Americas is quickly evolving," COTA Founding Partner Bobby Epstein said. "In less than one year, we've gone from hosting one hugely successful international event, the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, to a year-round schedule of motorsports and entertainment events, concerts, track experiences and campus activities--and we just landed ESPN's X Games for four years. We're advancing rapidly, and as our programming increases, we're expanding our executive team to keep pace with our progress and workload. Jason has been responsible for managing some of the most prestigious consumer brands in the world and activating them in both the sports and entertainment arenas. He's received industry accolades for his work at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his fan-focused approach to doing business will be a great advantage to COTA."
During his time with the Buccaneers, Dial was credited with rejuvenating the franchise's relationship with its fans, while increasing attendance and season ticket renewals. He introduced a fan-centric approach to the entire organization, leading to a major revamp of the Buccaneer's game day experience, which is now ranked 10th best in the NFL, up from 24th. Dial created a season-pass member program that provided benefits and year-round value to the team's most loyal patrons, which led to the Bucs garnering the No. 1 ranking in customer satisfaction, up from 27th.
"Circuit of The Americas catapulted onto the sports landscape last year, and I am eager to join COTA at such an important time in the company's history," Dial said. "The 2012 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix was just honored as 'Sports Event of the Year.' The addition of the ESPN X Games is a great new platform for growth, and we're ready to take things to the next level. I've had the opportunity to work on some of the best brands in the world and grow them through a consistent, strategic framework and consumer-first approach to doing business.
"I am leaving behind a great team at the Buccaneers and am proud of the way we transformed our organization with the tremendous support of the Glazer Family and the Tampa Bay community. I now look forward to joining COTA, growing its fan base and continuing to establish COTA as a premier destination. We have a world-class facility with amazing events, and we want to be customers' first choice for premium sports and entertainment."
Dial's resume also includes an impressive list of accomplishments at Procter & Gamble (P&G), the world's largest advertiser, where he served in a variety of executive roles over his 18 ½-year career, culminating with his position as director of global sports marketing. Dial increased the number of P&G brands involved in sports marketing from four to 40, while overseeing strategy development, brand consultation, platform innovation and activation, partnership development, negotiation, and acquisitions for more than 100 P&G brands. Dial's teams were responsible for industry-leading programs connecting P&G products to major league sports, such as the 13-brand NFL, NASCAR, IndyCar and the 30-plus brand Olympics campaigns, including the popular "Proud Sponsor of Moms" campaign that focused on thanking mothers of Olympians and would-be Olympians around the world. In 2009, Dial was recognized in the sports marketing community with a prestigious SportsBusiness Journal's "Top 40 Under 40" award, honoring executives on the rise.
Dial will oversee day-to-day business operations for Circuit of The Americas and its Austin360 Amphitheater, allowing CEO Steve Sexton to focus fully on new business development, long-term planning and strategy, legislative affairs and investor relations.
"Our team welcomes all of the new opportunities that have come our way quickly, and we're at the point where we need additional hands to help us stay on top of our growth trajectory," Sexton noted. "Jason Dial will be a great addition to our management circle. He's got a proven track record, understands how to connect brands with consumers, and has key management experience in all areas of our business operations. Besides an impeccable professional background, Jason has an uncompromising personal commitment to customer service. Circuit of The Americas is still a young company, but we strive for excellence in all we do, and Jason Dial will help us keep that promise to our patrons."
Dial, 44, hails from East Grand Rapids, Mich., and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics, finance and marketing from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
About Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, is a world-class destination for premium sports and entertainment. It is the first racing facility in the United States purposely built for Formula 1™ racing and is designed to host a variety of sports and entertainment events. The Circuit is home to the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX, which was named the 2012 "Sports Event of the Year" by SportsBusiness Journal/Daily, and is the new North American host of the summer edition of ESPN's X Games. Additionally Circuit of The Americas welcomes spectators from around the world for some of the most prestigious national and international motorsports series, including MotoGP™, V8 Supercars™, GRAND-AM Road Racing™, American Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championships.
Circuit of The Americas' 1,500-acre campus includes a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and sporting use. Its signature 3.4-mile, 20-turn undulating racetrack features remarkable elevation changes and a number of challenging turns patterned after some of the world's iconic Grand Prix tracks. The Austin360 Amphitheater is an expansive outdoor live music space, featuring the largest permanent stage in Central Texas and the capacity for 14,000 guests. The Circuit's iconic 25-story Observation Tower has a viewing platform offering 360-degree views of the venue, downtown Austin and Texas Hill Country. The 44,000-square foot Event Center offers an expansive convention and banquet space that doubles as an international Media Center during sports and entertainment event. The Event Center includes more than 30 broadcast booths, an internal café and dedicated news conference room. The Circuit's massive Main Grandstand features permanent seating for 9,000, a variety of well-appointed suites, and the Velocity Lounge and hospitality area. Circuit of The Americas also offers a state-of-the-art on-site medical facility, parking for 25,000 vehicles, taxi and shuttle bus depots and a permanent heli-stop. For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit: www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com, www.Austin360Amphitheater.comor the Circuit's dedicated FTP site, media.circuitoftheamericas.com.
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