Breakaway Data and Gains Group co-founder Steve Gera has been named the president and chief operating officer of Grand Slam Track (GST), the track league founded by four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson that launches next April.
GST has already signed top track stars in Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Josh Kerr, with ambitious plans to create a platform that delivers the best head-to-head matchups in the sport. Gera, a former officer in the United States Marines Corps, joins GST after coaching and leading innovation and analytics programs for the Los Angeles Chargers and Cleveland Browns.
Gera specializes in sports tech and innovation and will work alongside Johnson, the GST commissioner. His expertise will be needed as the fledging league looks to offer events across the globe.
“We’re not putting on a track meet,” Gera said in an interview. “We’re bringing something entirely new and different to market, and we’re really excited to show the world what that is. That only happens by hiring really great people who still have something left to prove.”
Along with Gera, GST has named Rick Qualliotine as its new chief content officer. Qualliotine, who helped launch Good Morning Football on the NFL Network, comes to GST after spending six years at NFL Media where he was an executive producer and vice president. The GST’s top media executive ran creative teams overseeing content, music, graphics and emerging technology at NFL Media while also managing major events including the Super Bowl and NFL Draft.
Teresa Palladino has also joined GST as vice president of marketing and partnerships. Palladino will be tasked with leading the development of the league’s marketing and social strategies. She will look to promote GST athletes and the sport itself to an existing global audience on a regular basis. Palladino comes to GST after leading U.S. digital partnerships for ONE championship. Before that she oversaw global partnerships for Red Bull Media House.
Rounding out the GST leadership team, Rina Thakker joins the executive ranks as the new chief technology and product officer. Thakker will be overseeing digital fan engagement, live event ticketing products, venue technology, infrastructure, e-commerce and other tech related avenues for the league. She most recently led digital products and emerging tech at WWE for more than 17 years, where she oversaw tech solutions for large-scale events like WrestleMania.
“All of them have worked at big blue-chip sports and entertainment brands, not just sports brands, not just entertainment brands,” Gera said in an interview. “They understand the complexities in the world of sports entertainment. For me and MJ, that was absolutely critical. Second thing, they’re all leaders and strategic and someone you would love to have on any of your teams. … And the great thing is that they all have something to prove.”
The Winners Alliance-backed league plans to announce more runners and three more event locations (two international markets and one in the U.S. to be paired with Los Angeles) in coming months. GST executive team will be in Paris for the Olympics where they will be helping with content creation, meeting with potential distribution partners and hosting a private event with several track and field legends.
“From the time I started this with MJ, this has been the easiest pitch I’ve had to make in rooms,” Gera said. “We have so much stuff that we haven’t shown the world [yet].”
