Rob Digisi

Sports Management Professor at The Wharton School

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  • The Wharton School

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The Wharton School

Rob is the Founder and President of Iron Horse Marketing, a boutique consultancy focused on the convergence of sports marketing and new venture development. A veteran sports, leisure and lifestyle sales and marketing executive, Rob has created new profit centers, distribution channels and brand development platforms for organizations including start-ups, pro-sports leagues and multi-billion dollar corporations.

Iron Horse Marketing Highlights include: • Led Copart’s expansion into the consumer sector through partnerships with NASCAR, the NHRA and associated media outlets. • For the breakthrough fan-engagement mobile application, Experience, a subsidiary of Cox Media, Rob formed a business development team to secure existing sports team sponsors to utilize the platform offering seat upgrades and unique fan experiences. • Partnered with NFL All-Pro linebacker, Carl Banks, to launch Famous 58, a line of BBQ/Tailgate party foods. • Leveraged the technology and infrastructure of Autotote, the leading IT service provider to the pari-mutuel wagering industry, to create a multi-media advertising solution.

Prior to reigniting Iron Horse Marketing in 2017, Rob ran national marketing at Diamond Resorts where he founded and grew The Diamond Resorts Invitational, a nationally televised, official PGA TOUR Champions event by implementing a unique sports marketing model for Diamond to build its brand, demonstrate its competitive advantage and return 100% of the event’s cost through sponsorship and hospitality sales.

Prior to Diamond Resorts, Rob was VP, Strategic Brand Development for upstart Dale and Thomas Popcorn, where he created partnerships and promotions with Universal Pictures, AEG, Miller Beer, Netflix and many others. From 1998-2002 while at Bank One, Rob oversaw business development for co-branded and affinity credit card programs and created General Mills’ Box Tops for Education Visa program.

At the National Basketball Association in the mid/late 90’s, Rob led business operations for the$150MM licensed products division and at the dawn of the digital age, he championed the vision and launched the NBA.com Store and the league’s CRM program. Early in his career, he held finance positions for sports marketing giant IMG in their golf and television production and distribution divisions.

From 2003-05 and since late 2017, Rob has taught the undergraduate and MBA-level sports business classes at The Wharton School and co-founded the Wharton Sports Business Initiative in 2004.

Rob is a graduate of Boston College and earned an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Northern NJ with his wife and two sons.

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