Former WWE executive Rob Kligman has been hired by Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Kligman has been named Chief Revenue Officer at Anthem Sports Group and will report to company president Anthony Cicione. Kligman will be in charge of driving sales and advertising, sponsorships, and strategic partnerships for TNA Wrestling and Invicta FC.
Kligman previously worked at WWE as its Vice President of Global Digital & Integrated Sponsorship Sales with prior positions at G Fuel, USA Today Sports Media Group, and Sports Illustrated as its National Advertising Director.
Kligman spent nearly eight years at WWE from February 2014 until November 2021.
Invicta FC recently announced a return to regular events beginning on June 27=8 along with a new distribution deal for their cards to be held on the CBS Sports Network.
TNA will return to pay-per-view with its Slammiversary show on June 20 at the Verdun Auditorium in Montreal.
Press release:
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc., a global, multi-platform media company, announced that Rob Kligman has been named Chief Revenue Officer of Anthem Sports Group, effective immediately. Kligman will report to Anthony Cicione, President of Anthem Sports Group.
With nearly three decades of experience working at the highest levels of mainstream sports for some of the world’s most recognizable brands, Kligman will be responsible for driving revenue across all aspects of the businesses, with an emphasis on sales and advertising, sponsorship opportunities, and strategic partnerships for Anthem’s TNA Wrestling, one of the world’s top wrestling organizations; and Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-female professional mixed martial arts promotion.
“Rob has built a distinguished track record in the sports arena, guiding some of the biggest brands in the business to grow existing revenue and develop new revenue streams,” said Cicione. “His duties as Anthem Sports Group’s CRO will place special emphasis on TNA Wrestling and Invicta FC, for which he is uniquely suited after spending eight successful years with WWE. His professional wrestling prowess and sports industry relationships will prove vital, as we continue to create and cultivate new areas of growth and opportunities to take TNA and Invicta to even greater heights.”
Additionally, Kligman will lead revenue growth for TNA and Invicta FC’s multiple revenue streams including FAST Channels, TNA+, PPV events, social media, merchandise, and more. He will also work closely with the sales team at Anthem’s AXS TV, where TNA’s flagship show TNA iMPACT! airs every Thursday night. He will utilize his experience of sustained success with WWE, where he served as Vice President of Global Digital & Integrated Sponsorship Sales. During his tenure, he quickly established WWE as a premier sponsorship platform—securing first-time partnerships with major brands such as GEICO, Coca-Cola, AT&T®, Nestlé, and Papa Johns®, and signing Mars Snickers® as the first presenting sponsor of the company’s cornerstone WrestleMania event. A true industry trailblazer, Kligman helped lead the company into new territory with a Netflix partnership that seamlessly integrated Netflix content into WWE storylines.
Prior to joining Anthem Sports Group, Kligman served as Vice President of Marketing Operations & Sales at G Fuel, where he led a team of 12 in developing partnership programs with the likes of Netflix, Marvel, Paramount Pictures, Activision Blizzard and Walmart, among others, prior to the company’s acquisition. In addition to G Fuel and WWE, his impressive resumé includes executive positions with USA TODAY Sports Media Group, where he worked as Vice President of Multimedia Sales; and Time Inc., where he served as the National Advertising Sales Director for Sports Illustrated; as well as senior sales leadership positions at other top publishers.
“Anthem Sports Group has quickly built a diverse portfolio packed with world-class content offerings from across the entertainment spectrum,” Kligman said. “TNA Wrestling remains one of the most iconic brands in the sport, while Invicta FC continues to break new ground as the premier destination for all-female MMA action. I look forward to working with Anthem’s dynamic team to build upon the success that they’ve already enjoyed, driving revenue growth by serving TNA and Invicta’s vocal and loyal fan base, and forging new and innovative strategic partnerships.”
This appointment comes at a time of unprecedented momentum for both TNA Wrestling and Invicta FC. In recent months, TNA’s return to its iconic brand has led to increased audiences, and its talent roster has continued to deliver the best live wrestling experiences and anytime/anywhere connectivity with its fans, as the promotion builds toward its signature Slammiversary summer event in Montreal on July 20. Meanwhile, Invicta FC finalized a landmark agreement with CBS Sports Network earlier this month, giving the platform exclusive U.S. television rights to broadcast Invicta’s events live throughout 2024, with the first card slated for June 28.
