SPEAKERS

Steven F. Roberts, SVP, New Media and Business Development, DIRECTV

Steven Roberts is a 20 year veteran of the sports, television and entertainment industry. Currently, Steven is the Sr. Vice President, New Media and Business Development. He is responsible for managing a wide range of activities focusing on the integration of the traditional DIRECTV entertainment experience on the set-top-box with emerging digital technologies. This includes the delivery of content via the Internet on other platforms such as the PC, mobile, and portable devices inside and outside the home. .

Roberts, who was formerly Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, and General Manager, DIRECTV Entertainment, spearheaded the development and launch of several new initiatives since he joined the company over two years ago, including the creation of a joint venture between News Corp.'s BSKYB (UK) and STAR (Asia) for the Championship Gaming League, an organization that harnessed the enormous popularity of professional video gaming. He was also responsible for the development of DIRECTV's initial IPTV strategy and its initiative to deliver video content via broadband for its DIRECTV On Demand service. He also oversaw the successful launch of Game Lounge, a 24x7 interactive games channel available through subscription in over 10 million homes, and developed and managed the successful, multiple market test of a handheld device (Kangaroo) that delivers NFL Sunday Ticket video content to in-stadium viewers.

Before joining DIRECTV, Steven was Executive Vice President at Sportvision, the worldwide leader in sports television broadcast technology. His focus at the company was not only bringing the ubiquitous "yellow line" to every televised football game but also, expanding the product line to include broadcast enhancements for NASCAR, Major League Baseball and the Olympics. The company tripled in revenue during his tenure. He was responsible for negotiating all major network deals with such media companies as ESPN, FOX, Turner and NBC. He received two Emmy awards for innovation and Interactive applications for some of his work at Sportvision.

Steven honed his marketing and overall business skills, first as Managing Partner of Pinnacle Promotions, a promotional consulting agency for such companies as Coke Foods, AIG and Coors and then, at two divisions of Sony, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) and Sony Sports and Entertainment. As Managing Director of Sony Signatures, the consumer merchandising and licensing arm for SPE, Roberts was responsible for new property acquisitions, branding and managing one of the world's largest licensing businesses at the time, World Cup Soccer 1998. This licensing program sold a record of over one billion dollars worth of merchandise at retail stores in 24 months. The following year, Roberts was tapped to start a new business for Sony Corporation, Sony Sports and Entertainment. As General Manager of Global Operations, Roberts was responsible for leading Sony's foray into sports marketing beginning with the Sony Open, a PGA TOUR Event and other sports oriented initiatives.

Steven graduated from University of California at Berkeley, is on the Board of Mi6, the video game industry's only marketing organization and is married with two daughters.