KSL Sports Partnerships Senior Account Executive

Deseret Digital Media

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

KSL is Utah’s leading local news source across digital and broadcast platforms, delivering trusted, award‑winning journalism through KSL.com and KSL‑TV. We provide in‑depth local reporting, investigative journalism, and up‑to‑the‑minute coverage that serves communities across the state. Committed to being a trusted voice of light and knowledge, KSL helps Utahns stay informed, connected, and engaged with the issues that matter most. Our sports properties — spanning broadcast, digital, audio, and social — offer partners a powerful, integrated way to reach passionate fans at every level of competition. We are seeking a Senior Sports Partnership Sales Executive — a driven, experienced hunter who will own and grow sports advertising revenue across KSL's full portfolio of sports media assets. This is a dedicated vertical sales role focused exclusively on sports, with the autonomy to prospect, pitch, and close C-suite decision-makers while building meaningful partnerships with professional, collegiate, and high school sports organizations throughout the market. The ideal candidate is a seasoned seller who understands the sports landscape, thrives on new business development, and can craft integrated, multi-platform proposals that deliver measurable results for clients and sustainable revenue for KSL. Note: Work configurations are subject to change based on business needs and at company discretion. This position is a hybrid role that requires the employee to sometimes work at our Salt Lake City site. Specific hybrid schedules will be determined based on business needs and evaluated by managers and senior management.

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of media sales experience, with a demonstrated track record in sports-related advertising or sponsorship sales
Proven success as a new-business hunter with a history of meeting or exceeding revenue targets
Experience selling to and presenting at the C-suite / senior executive level
Ability to develop and sell integrated, multi-platform campaigns across TV, radio, digital, and social
Strong understanding of the professional, collegiate, and/or high school sports ecosystem
Proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and core business productivity tools
Working knowledge of AI-powered tools and a willingness to leverage emerging technology to enhance sales effectiveness and client solutions
Excellent presentation, negotiation, and consultative selling skills
Self-starter mentality — organized, accountable, and able to manage time and priorities independently in a hybrid work environment

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Sports Management, or a related field (equivalent professional experience will be considered in lieu of a degree)
Experience in corporate partnership sales with professional or collegiate sports properties
Established relationships with advertisers, agencies, and sports organizations in the Utah / Intermountain West market
Familiarity with broadcast traffic and CRM systems (e.g., Wide Orbit, Salesforce — we'll train the right candidate on our specific platforms)
Experience with event activations and on-site sponsorship fulfillment

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary new-business hunter for KSL's sports sales vertical, consistently building and managing a robust sales pipeline
Prospect, qualify, pitch, and close new advertising and sponsorship partnerships with a focus on C-suite and senior-level decision-makers
Develop and exceed individual revenue targets through strategic, consultative selling
Identify and pursue partnership opportunities with professional sports teams/leagues, collegiate athletic programs, and high school sports organizations in the market
Create customized, integrated multi-platform proposals that combine TV, radio, digital, podcast, and social assets into compelling partnership packages
Structure sponsorship and advertising programs that deliver ROI for clients while maximizing KSL sports revenue
Develop season-long and annual partnership frameworks that build long-term client relationships and recurring revenue streams
Stay current on sports media trends — including streaming, digital measurement, and emerging ad formats — to bring innovative solutions to clients
Manage the full sales cycle from initial outreach through contract execution and campaign launch
Deliver polished, data-driven presentations and proposals to clients and agencies
Collaborate with KSL's marketing, production, digital, and creative teams to ensure flawless campaign execution and partner satisfaction
Represent KSL at games, sporting events, and on-site activations as needed to support partnerships and strengthen client relationships
Maintain accurate pipeline reporting and revenue forecasting for the sports vertical
Provide regular updates to the Director of Sales on pipeline health, competitive activity, and market opportunities
Track and analyze competitive sports media offerings in the market to inform pricing and positioning

Benefits

Robust, affordable medical, dental and vision coverage with no wait period for enrollment
Paid leave for new parents under our Medical Maternity and Parental Leave policies
Opportunities to apply for tuition reimbursement
Paid time off for vacation and sick leave in addition to paid company holidays
401(k) with Company match, fully vested from day one
Paid time off for volunteering
Employer-funded retirement account, fully vested from day one
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services
Access to an entire team of free financial planners
Matches on contributions to charitable organizations after one year of service
Continuous growth and development opportunities
Dynamic team culture that values teamwork, having fun, and collaboration