The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has added a big name to its Board of Directors – Peter Hutton, the Director of Sports Partnerships at Meta (the company previously known as Facebook). The move continues the PTO’s push to expand its broadcast and media reach well beyond the normal triathlon circles.
According to a release from the PTO, Hutton “is in charge of (Meta’s) sports strategy and partnerships worldwide, helping rights holders, broadcasters, agencies, athletes and producers leverage and make the most from Meta’s suite of technologies; Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Meta Quest and Portal.”
Hutton has a rich history in the sports media world, “launching and running sports channels across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa and the Indian sub-continent.”
Before he started working for Meta, Hutton was the CEO of Eurosport, and before that was an executive at Fox “where he helped acquire Africa’s Setanta Sports and ESPN/Star Sports in Asia,” according to the PTO. “He eventually became CEO of ESPN/Star Sports, Asia’s largest broadcaster, and led its rebranding into Fox Sports in Asia and India’s Star Sports.”
“The sport of Triathlon has a hugely valuable demographic with some of the greatest professional athletes in the world,” Hutton says. “I am looking forward to helping the PTO elevate and showcase these incredible athletes with compelling content designed to increase exposure and engagement, and distributed via a global network of media outlets, across broadcast, digital and social to attract new fans. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work on a sport that I have followed closely for many years, and with an organisation that has already brought together excellent sporting and executive talent.”
It’s been a big week for the PTO, announcing the new PTO Tour last week and finalizing the winners the US$2 million bonus that goes to the top 100 men and women in its standings. Today’s announcement demonstrates both how deep the organization’s pockets are and also its commitment to extending its media reach in the future.
