John Miller to Create Sports Agency Inside NBC

NBC-Comcast is getting a little bit closer to creating a sports juggernaut. John Miller, the former CMO of NBC Universal Television Group, will helm “The NBC Sports Agency" as soon as the Comcast merger closes. The group will be similar to “The NBC Agency," which Miller created and ran from 1999-2010, and serve as the go-to agency for all sports-related advertising at the Peacock.

John Miller, NBC Universal Television Group CMO and one of television’s most decorated marketing and promotion executives, will be shifting his focus to the NBC Sports Group to create and head “The NBC Sports Agency," as soon as the pending acquisition of NBC Universal by Comcast is complete.

Miller, known for his unprecedented ability to build viewer awareness and interest in new programs, is credited with creating the ubiquitous “Must See TV" campaign and branding such hit shows as Seinfeld, Friends, ER and The Cosby Show, as well as creating campaigns for the Olympics and “Sunday Night Football," which resulted in record viewership. He is a four-time Entertainment Marketer of the Year, a former Promotion Executive of the Year, a PROMAX Hall of Fame member, and received a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Commercial that also won the World’s Best Commercial award.

“Over the last 25 years, John Miller has become one of the most legendary figures in television promotion and marketing," said Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics. “In a business where people often talk about synergy yet rarely achieve it, John, as Chairman of the NBC Marketing Council, has demonstrated to all of us how we can come together for the betterment of all. NBC Sports’ big-event strategy, which has produced record audiences for the Olympics, NFL, NHL and horse racing, is predicated on this marketing strategy. And now John will be masterminding that coordination for NBC Sports, as well as creating campaigns for our partners and advertisers."

“The NBC Sports Agency," modeled after the successful “The NBC Agency" – which Miller co-founded and led from 1999-2010 – will focus on marketing NBC Sports Group assets, including soon-to-be-integrated Comcast properties, and serve as an agency for NBC Sports’ growing list of partners and advertisers, who use NBC Sports as a marketing resource. NBC Sports has recently produced campaigns for partners such as the USOC, NFL and NHL, and collaborated with advertisers, including Proctor & Gamble, Anheuser-Busch, Mercedes, Target, Sears, Coors, DirecTV, and Papa John’s. “The NBC Agency" was the industry’s first full-service advertising agency comprised of an award-winning in-house unit that quickly established itself as one of the country’s top creative commercial firms.

“I’m thrilled to be shifting my focus to the NBC Sports Group and working with Dick Ebersol’s team," said Miller. “‘The NBC Sports Agency’ will take advantage of the full creative support of NBC Sports, Versus, Golf Channel and the RSNs to create campaigns not only for the individual channels, but also for the NBC Sports Group partners and advertisers."

In addition to his work for the NBC Sports Group, Miller will continue his role as Chairman of the newly expanded NBC Universal Marketing Council, co-coordinating the full company cross-promotional efforts.