Foxtel Group has recruited former National Basketball League exec Ted Helliar to serve as director of engagement, community and fandom of Kayo Sports and Fox Sports.
The dedicated role is to take fan engagement to the next level across Kayo Sports and Fox Sports, by building a deeper, more meaningful connection with the communities that power the success of Foxtel and allow it to invest in the growth of Australian sport. And as a result all Kayo and Fox Sports social and creator teams will now report to Helliar.
“Outside of the Australian Government the Foxtel Group are the biggest investors in Australian sport, and it’s very exciting to be in a position to bring that to life, from grassroots all the way through to the elite,” Helliar told B&T.
A passionate sports fan himself, Helliar joins from the National Basketball League, where he served as chief fans officer. Prior to the NBL, he was at global agency network TBWA, overseeing major sports campaigns including FIFA Women’s World Cup, and previously he also spent four years as chief operating officer of the Sydney Roosters.
Across his career, Helliar has worked closely with leagues, clubs, athletes, creators, broadcasters and commercial partners, and is energised by the opportunity to help position Kayo and Fox Sports as Australia’s leading sports platform by building living fandom that strengthens both fans and Australian sport.
Foxtel Group has already started tapping into the sophisticated creator network to build its community, inviting the likes of the marmalade_aus creators and even LA Rams players Kyren Williams and Kevin Dotson who boast a massive 200 thousand followers on Instagram alone.
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Helliar in his role that he begins on 16 March will be looking to grow and nature Fox’s creator community into one of the most sophisticated creative programs in the country. The philosophy arises from if the creators themselves are engaged at Foxtel events, then this will transpire over to their content that has strong audiences, therefore resulting into Foxtel’s community also organically growing.
He will report to Cate Hefele, who has returned from parental leave to her role as managing director – Go to Market.
