PRESS RELEASES

VSG, Lightning name Matt Corey as Chief Marketing Officer

(February 8, 2022) Tampa Bay – In partnership with TurnkeyZRG, Vinik Sports Group and the Tampa Bay Lightning have hired veteran marketing executive Matt Corey to serve as the organization’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) today, Chief Executive Officer Steve Griggs announced. Corey joins the Bolts after an already successful career, most recently as CMO at the PGA Tour. In his new role, he will be responsible for the overall strategic vision and direction of the organization’s content strategy and creation, brand, and production, which supports a world-class fan experience across all platforms. Corey will also oversee The Identity Tampa Bay, alumni relations and communications.

“We are very pleased to be welcoming Matt to the VSG/Lightning family today,” Griggs said. “He brings an expansive skillset to the organization, including marketing, running creative campaigns, content and partner integration. Matt is an inspirational, proven leader, collaborator and team-thinker who will further strengthen our fan experience and culture.”

“I couldn’t be happier to be joining such a world class organization,” Corey said. “The Lightning are one of the most respected brands in sports and I look forward to joining their already successful culture. I’d like to thank Steve and the rest of the executive team for providing me this wonderful opportunity. I can’t wait to get started.”

During Corey’s time as CMO for The PGA Tour, he oversaw all global marketing efforts to grow and diversify the fan base. Corey led an industry-wide movement to launch “Make Golf Your Thing” in 2021, a campaign aimed at inspiring everyone to try golf and positioning it as a fun activity that should be embraced by everyone of all demographics. His team oversaw brand creative, tournament marketing and ticket sales, media buying and campaign planning, international marketing and communications, as well as fan analytics.

Prior to joining The PGA Tour, Corey worked for the Arthur Blank Sports & Entertainment Group, where he served as CMO for PGA Tour Superstore for six years. During that time he also supported family businesses in important projects including the opening of Mercedes Benz Stadium, the launch of Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer, the partnership with First Tee and supporting Blank’s Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Montana.

Corey graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in public relations prior to earning his MBA from Georgia Tech.

The Lightning partnered with TurnkeyZRG for the search and placement of their CMO position.

ABOUT TURNKEYZRG

Founded in 1996, TurnkeyZRG is a highly specialized talent recruitment/executive search firm filling C-level, senior-level and mid-management level positions throughout sports, entertainment and media. Over the past 25 years, TurnkeyZRG has filled more than 1,400 positions throughout sports, entertainment and media. TurnkeyZRG helps teams, leagues, stadiums, arenas, theaters, college athletic departments, events, sponsors, agencies, media companies, private equity companies and other clients identify, recruit and hire the very best management talent. Turnkey now benefits from ZRG’s global footprint, full array of industry practice groups, data-driven, analytical search tools, and technology investment in changing the way executive search/talent recruiting is done. TurnkeyZRG becomes a tech-enabled disrupter of the prior executive search model. For more information about TurnkeyZRG, visit www.turnkeyzrg.com.