• Loading stock data...
Thursday, April 24, 2025

Shot Callers: TJ Adeshola, Head of U.S Sports, Twitter

Twitter continues to be the platform where live sports discussion lives. As a result, the platform remains a very important place for the company’s partners to reach sports fans as well as listen in on what the important subjects of discussion are amongst sports fans.

FOS Editor Ian Thomas chats with Twitter’s TJ Adeshola about the brand’s sports partnerships strategy and the platform’s continual importance in the sports space.

Edited highlights appear below:

On Twitter embracing the conversation surrounding women’s sports (1:32)

Adeshola: “We realize that women’s sports have a hyper-engaged audience, particularly on Twitter, but oftentimes the content is underserved and under distributed. So we really leaned into our partners at the WNBA, at the National Women’s Hockey League, at Fox Sports with the Women’s World Cup too, to really amplify this platform and make sure that if you’re a women’s sports fan, which is not a monolith, that you have access to that content, particularly on Twitter. That brings in some social issues on top of the sports issues when it comes to women’s sports on a platform like Twitter where conversation can go all over the place…That’s the beauty of Twitter, right? You get to see every side of the conversation.”

On working alongside Fox Sports this summer to amplify the world cup (2:34)

Adeshola: “We realize everybody can’t make it there. So for us the objective is to work with Fox Sports or the rights holder in that particular instance to create that experience on Twitter. As a result, every single goal that ‘s scored in the women’s World Cup will be published on Twitter in real time. So if you are a fan of the property, you don’t have to miss any goal. Additionally, we have a live show that Fox is producing, it is kickass, and it is occurring right in front of the Eiffel Tower. So it really makes you feel like you’re in Paris for the games. That’s really our objective. You can’t make it and can’t get that flight out to France? We will give you a taste of the women’s World Cup in your timelines each and every single day.”

SEE MORE: Shot Callers: Kristin Bernert, SVP of Business Operations, Madison Square Garden

On the keys to building strong partnerships (3:38)

Adeshola: “They do look to develop deeper engagement with fans of whatever they are through Twitter and through services that you guys have… I think if you’re to build a true partnership in every meeting of the word, you have to, you have to understand what their objectives are. You have to understand what their needs are and you have to have an aligned goal or aligned goals. So our first thing is we sit down and we say, what are you looking to achieve?”

SEE MORE: Shot Callers: Ben Reynolds, Co-Founder & CEO, Spalk

On what partnerships are in store for Twitter later this year (7:41)
Adeshola: “We’re really leaned into this idea of being the global virtual sports bar. From the comfort of your own couch or home that you can sit and consume a live game with hundreds of thousands of friends across the globe…So we’re going to continue to fuel that bar. We’re going to continue to make sure there’s top-shelf inventory in that bar. So the back half of the year where we’re having some really cool conversations with the NFL around what our live content will look like this year. I don’t want to drop any spoilers, but I’m really excited about what we’ve got in store for our NFL and The Checkdown property of those guys this fall. We’re already talking about Olympics 2020. With Adidas, we’ve got a really cool women’s sports high school initiative that we’re going to continue to roll up our sleeves on and dig deep in.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Mar 16, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) celebrates with guard Isaiah Joe (11) after score in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.

Unorthodox OKC: The Thunder Redefined Tanking to Become NBA’s Best

A rebuild years in the making has OKC in the driver’s seat.
Mar 13, 2020; Augusta, GA, USA; The front entrance at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., Friday morning. The Masters Tournament has been postponed due to coronavirus concerns.
opinion

What’s It Like to Play Augusta? A Day on the World’s Most..

Inside a round at the most exclusive club in the world.
Kim Ng

Kim Ng Is Trying to Crack Pro Softball’s Toughest Problem

Ng’s new task is translating the popularity of college softball to pros.

Featured Today

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after a three point basket against the Houston Cougars during the first half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome.

Cooper Flagg’s Timing Is Perfect for the NBA and USA Basketball

The projected No. 1 pick just declared for the draft.
Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Paige Bueckers is interviewed by ESPN after being selected with the number one overall pick to the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards
April 21, 2025

ESPN’s WNBA Coverage Mirrors the League’s Stunning Growth

“I don’t think we stand still in our coverage of women’s sports,” says Rowe.
Dec 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) watches as center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates after making a three point basket to clinch a win against the Toronto Raptors near the end of the fourth quarter at Scotiabank Arena
April 19, 2025

Same Owner, New Knicks: New York’s Remarkable Rebound

The franchise’s renaissance didn’t happen overnight.
Masters
April 18, 2025

Why The Masters Quietly Cracked Down on Ticket Resellers

Insiders expect big changes are coming to ticketing at Augusta National.

Fundamentals: Andrea Williams (Women In Sports)

Welcome to the latest episode of Fundamentals, a Front Office Sports interview…
November 17, 2020

Fundamentals: Women In Esports

On this episode of Fundamentals, three guests join the show to discuss the opportunities for women in the gaming industry, as well as the challenges they face.
February 24, 2021

Fundamentals: Women in Sports

Welcome to the latest episode of Fundamentals, a Front Office Sports interview…
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

This week, Two-time Super Bowl Champion and CBS NFL analyst Logan Ryan joins us to talk the business of sports on our third installment of Portfolio Players.
September 22, 2020

Fundamentals: USTA CEO Michael Dowse

Dowse, the CEO and executive director of the national governing body for tennis, discussed the unique challenges of a fan-less US Open and growing the sport in the U.S.
July 28, 2020

Fundamentals: RISE CEO Diahann Billings-Burford

Diahann Billings-Burford is the CEO of RISE, a national nonprofit whose mission is to use sports as a means of eliminating racial discrimination and acting as a vehicle for social justice and societal equality.
July 24, 2020

Fundamentals: MLL Commissioner Sandy Brown

Sandy Brown — commissioner of Major League Lacrosse — discusses the logistics and realities of the league’s return to play with a single-location tournament format, along with the growth of the sport as a whole.
July 17, 2020

Fundamentals: Evil Geniuses CEO Nicole LaPointe Jameson

Nicole LaPointe Jameson, CEO of professional esports team Evil Geniuses, discusses the state of esports and what is next for the organization.