Sam McCleery is an American sports executive who has 40+ years as a senior executive for sports brands (Prince Tennis, adidas, Under Armour) and sports media (Princeton Video Image MSG/Cablevision and ESPN). The “red thread” in McCleery’s career has been how technology has defined how we play and watch sports. He co-founded the first augmented reality company in sports and was awarded a Sports Emmy for his work in delivering the Yellow First Down Line for football broadcasts.

At ESPN, Sam was the Chief Technologist in the Emerging Technology group and tasked with finding new technologies that enhance the game and bring a new level of understanding by using data to the viewing experience.

At Under Armour, Sam ran the Open Innovation practice and later worked on the Corporate Development team. In both capacities he was responsible for identifying strategic partners, technology and innovations for building performance footwear and apparel.

Throughout his career, McCleery has prided himself on being the contrarian voice in the room to give balance and perspective to important discussions and decisions. Currently, he runs a strategic consulting practice with several national sports networks as clients.