The Professional Collegiate League Announces New Chief Marketing Officer
March 24, 2020 [Cleveland, OH] — The Professional Collegiate League (PCL) today announced that Wendell J. Haskins has joined its leadership team as Chief Marketing Officer. Haskins brings over 20 years of experience in entertainment and sports marketing and proven success in leveraging key relationships with media networks, labels, studios, and major league sports organizations, including the NBA, MLB, NFL, USTA, and The PGA of America, to drive business strategies. In this new position, Haskins will lead marketing and public relations efforts at an important and exciting time as the PCL transitions from concept to reality.
“Wendell is an exciting and necessary addition to the PCL leadership team; his past experience in sports marketing coupled with his long-standing relationships and extensive network will be invaluable to the league as we grow,” said Ricky Volante, Co-Founder and CEO of the PCL. “We look forward to benefiting from Wendell’s expertise in talent relations, brand activation, event management, strategic partnerships, and diversity and inclusion initiatives as we work to reshape the future of collegiate athletics.”
As founder of Original Tee Inc., Haskins conceptualized “The Original Tee Classic” and has managed the annual event since 1999, benefiting the National Minority Junior Golf Scholarship Association and numerous other charities. He also served as Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion and Director of Sports & Entertainment Marketing for The PGA of America where he implemented marketing strategies to recruit athletes and celebrities of color to be advocates for golf and player development, including NBA players Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Alonzo Mourning, Julius Erving, Otis Birdsong, former MLB player Gary Sheffield, actor Dondrè Whitfield, and others. Prior to working for The PGA of America, Haskins served as Creative Director and Player Development Consultant at the NBA, where he was instrumental in training incoming players in the Rookie Transition Program, as well as in leading the creative process and managing the staff responsible for dressing the performers of the NBA’s “All-Star Saturday Night,” with an international TV audience of 10 billion. He also incorporated all NBA licensed apparel and branding into nationally televised productions of the NBA, which included commercials, marquis events, and the NBA All-Star Game halftime show.
The PCL is the first collegiate basketball league to enable athletes to directly benefit from their talent, marketability, and hard work by offering an education and compensation in a US-based basketball league free of academic and economic exploitation. In short, the PCL is college sports reimagined. In April, the PCL will unveil the league’s first team name and insignia.
Media Contact: Sarah Bray, Sarah@InnovantPR.com, 832.226.2116
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