YouTube’s Rob Pilgrim joins Meta to lead sports drive in EMEA
October 2, 2025
- Pilgrim will identify, negotiate and manage sports partnerships for Meta after eight years at YouTube
- Meta previously experimented with live rights before scaling back involvement
- Company looking to showcase products through sport and explore VR and AI innovations
Technology giant Meta has hired Rob Pilgrim as its head of sport across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Pilgrim joins after more than eight years at Google-owned video platform YouTube, where he served as the company’s head of sport and primetime for the EMEA region.
In his new role, which he officially began on 29th September, Pilgrim will be responsible for shaping Meta’s EMEA sports strategy and managing its relationships with stakeholders across the industry, including broadcasters, federations, leagues, teams and athletes.
He will also be tasked with identifying, negotiating and executing strategic partnerships with sports entities across Meta’s ecosystem of apps, including Instagram, Facebook, Threads and WhatsApp.
There will additionally be a focus on finding ways to showcase the Oakley Meta Vanguard performance glasses through sports partnerships and explore innovations in virtual reality and artificial intelligence with Reality Labs.
“I’ve been fortunate to build my career bringing sport to fans through new and innovative modes of distribution,” Pilgrim said. “This opportunity with Meta is a perfect fit to take that mission to the next level.
“This isn’t about just about building better video or social experiences; it’s about creating the next dimension of fandom. I believe Meta can build a virtual stadium for fans across its suite of apps with connection at the core.
“I’m particularly excited given the recent announcement of the new Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses, bringing Athletic Intelligence to market – adding a layer of data to performance. This isn’t a future concept – it’s here and ready to drive a whole new wave of performance and content.
“I can’t wait to work hand-in-hand with the sports industry to meet the demands of modern fandom.”
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, was previously tipped to become a major player in live sports broadcasting but, after experimenting with soccer competitions like LaLiga in India and the Uefa Champions League in Latin America, that scenario never materialised.
While some live and highlights content will still be part of its future, Meta is now taking a more holistic approach to sports that will integrate its hardware and leverage technology to create more immersive experiences for fans.
Examples of some of its recent moves in sport include an expansive partnership with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) which incorporates Meta’s full suite of technology and apps, while its WhatsApp messaging service is a sponsor of Mercedes. The company also worked with content creators, professional teams and broadcasters to bring more cricket content to its platforms during the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Pilgrim’s appointment comes after Meta released a report highlighting how fans engage with its platforms and how it influences their behaviour.
The study found that 96 per cent of sports fans on Meta use its apps before, during and after a live event, while also revealing that 83 per cent of those on the platform use it for highlights, athlete or team posts and user-generated or fan-made content.
In addition, it highlighted that 60 per cent of sports fans on Meta trust it over other platforms to discover new sports-related products and experiences.
“We’re delighted that Rob is bringing his wealth of experience in the industry to lead our global partnerships sports presence across EMEA and beyond,” said Louise Holmes, Meta’s director of global partnerships, EMEA.
“The sports industry and its athletes are crucial part of Meta’s unparalleled ecosystem which brings together the biggest community of sports fans across the world on and off the pitch – not only on our social platforms of Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp – but now also through the first hand athlete point-of-view afforded by our performance AI glasses, Oakley Meta Vanguard.
“The opportunity to bring fans closer to the action than ever before has never been greater and we’re excited for what’s ahead in this space for our partners with Rob at the helm.”
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