Norby Williamson is officially joining Main Street Sports Group as the company’s president of production and programming, effective on January 13. Williamson will be responsible for overseeing live production for live game broadcasts and original programming on FanDuel Sports Network-branded regional sports networks. Some of these responsibilities will pertain to pregame, live game and postgame strategy and innovation, in addition to purview towards operations and content on linear and digital platforms. Williamson will report to David Preshlack, the chief executive officer of Main Street Sports Group.
“Adding an esteemed producer of Norby’s caliber strengthens our ability to seize on the opportunities ahead as we begin this transformative new chapter for Main Street Sports,” Preschlack said in a statement. “With decades of experience and a stellar track record overseeing live sports events and iconic studio programs, Norby’s expertise and vision will be key to innovating our production capabilities and delivering exceptional experiences for fans. Having worked alongside Norby for 20 years at ESPN, I am confident that he will enhance our ability to drive success and push the boundaries of what Main Street Sports can achieve.”
Williamson previously worked at ESPN for 39 years before he was let go last April, a few months before a reorganization of the company’s content structure. Under his role with ESPN, he was responsible for editorial direction, strategy and multiplatform newsgathering, along with managing studio and event production for major sporting events airing on ESPN and ABC.
“I could not be more excited to join FanDuel Sports Network,” Williamson said in a statement. “The platform’s unique combination of valuable local sports rights with powerful, forward-looking content and distribution partnerships provides an incredible foundation that I am eager to build on. I look forward to collaborating with the talented Main Street Sports team to drive excellence in our productions and find new ways to deliver high quality content that resonates with fans across platforms.”
The regional sports network operator, formerly known as Diamond Sports Group, recently emerged from Ch. 11 bankruptcy after being in proceedings for parts of 20 months. Under its reorganization plan, the company has reduced its approximately $9 billion in pre-petition debt to $200 million. Moreover, its restructuring support agreement included a multi-year deal with Amazon’s Prime Video that grants users the ability to access the RSNs as an add-on subscription for consumers living in designated geographic areas. Main Street Sports Group currently has local broadcasting rights for eight MLB teams, 13 NBA teams and eight NHL teams within its broadcast portfolio of 16 regional sports networks.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
