Global esports tournament organiser BLAST has strengthened its commercial leadership with the hiring of Steve Rossi, an executive with over two decades of experience in sports, media, and gaming partnerships.
The appointment, effective immediately, sees Rossi take on the newly created role of Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships, where he will be responsible for driving global sponsorship strategy and revenue growth.
Based in New York, Rossi will lead BLAST’s global commercial brand partnerships strategy, overseeing Sponsorship Sales and Partner Management & Activation worldwide. According to the official announcement, his mandate is to forge long-term, high-value partnerships with brands, aligning with BLAST’s expansion of premium live events and competitive entertainment formats. Rossi brings a significant track record from senior roles at Activision Blizzard, the National Football League (NFL), and Univision Communications, where he specialised in integrated sponsorship and media deals.
In a statement, Steve Rossi commented on the new position: “BLAST has built a truly premium proposition at the intersection of entertainment, gaming, sport and culture. The team has established real global momentum, and the opportunity to build on that foundation and lead the next phase of global partnerships strategy at a company with such creative ambition and international scale was incredibly compelling.”
Leo Matlock, Chief Business Officer at BLAST, emphasised the strategic importance of the hire: “Steve brings deep experience across esports, sport, media and entertainment, combined with a proven ability to scale global commercial partnerships. As BLAST continues to grow its international footprint and evolve its partnership offering, Steve’s leadership will be instrumental in driving sustainable revenue growth.”
The appointment follows a period of significant growth for the tournament organiser. BLAST reported a record-breaking 2025, having staged 15 arena events across eight countries and expanded its broadcast reach to over 100 territories.
The company has also increased its physical presence with new offices and studios in Mumbai, New York City, and Malta, while continuing to invest in a diverse portfolio of games including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Rainbow Six. Rossi’s recruitment signals a focused effort to monetise this expanded global footprint.
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