Lenny Daniels Joins Professional Fighters League as COO

Lenny Daniels, the former head of Warner Bros. Discovery‘s sports operations, has joined Professional Fighters League as chief operating officer as the mixed-martial-arts league is working to compete more headily against UFC.

Daniels will oversee all day-to-day operations across the league, including global business operations, brand and content strategy, and commercial expansion. He will also play a central leadership role in the PFL’s upcoming U.S. media rights negotiations.

Daniels will report to John Martin, PFL’s CEO and a former head of Warner’s cable-networks division.

“Lenny Daniels is among the most accomplished executives in sports media, having spent decades
shaping and growing elite sports organizations,” said Martin, in a statement. “He has managed some of
the biggest sports properties on the planet and understands how to deliver premium sports content, live
experiences, and digital engagement at massive scale. Lenny will be a game-changing leader for the PFL
as we enter our next stage of growth.”

Fans, advertisers and distributors all want to do more with mixed martial arts, and PFL has been working to establish itself as an option for those who may be value-conscious about costs associated with UFC. That league, backed by TKO, recently signed a mammoth seven-year deal with Paramount Skydance valued at $7.7 billion over the course of its term. Organizers may feel pressured to back those fees with premium sponsorship pacts.

“The opportunity to help build the next great global combat sports brand, powered by storytelling,
technology, and athlete-first innovation, is rare,” said Daniels in a statement. “I am committed to delivering operational excellence across every level of the League. We’re just getting started.”

Daniels spent nearly three decades at the Warner division once known as Turner Sports, where he played a significant role in developing programs such as “Inside the NBA” and “NBA on TNT,” as well as alliances with leagues including Major League Baseball, the NCAA and the NBA.” Under his aegis, Turner developed helped develop the digital-sports outlet Bleacher Report and played a strong hand in guiding the NBA’s digital strategy. He left the company in 2022.

Daniels and his wife are based in Atlanta with their two sons.