Rob Simmelkjaer is an American television executive, journalist, entrepreneur, and is the CEO of

New York Road Runners New York Road Runners (NYRR) is a non-profit running organization based in New York City whose mission is to help and inspire people through running. It was founded in 1958 by Ted Corbitt with 47 members and has since grown to a membership of more ...

. He served as a senior executive and on-air journalist at ESPN, ABC News and NBC Sports. In 2020 he founded a digital video interview platform called Persona. He also has served as Chairman of the Board of the Connecticut Lottery corporation since 2020 (nominated by Gov.

Ned Lamont Edward Miner Lamont Jr. (born January 3, 1954) is an American businessman and politician serving as the 89th governor of Connecticut. He has served in this position since January 9, 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a Greenw ...

Executive roles

New York Road Runners

In December 2022, Simmelkjaer became the CEO of

NBC Sports

On September 12, 2011, Simmelkjaer was named Senior Vice President, NBC Sports Ventures, where he was charged with leading international business development for the

NBC Sports Group NBC Sports Group is a division of NBCUniversal that is responsible for NBC Sports' media properties, encompassing the NBC television network's sports division as well as day-to-day operation of the company's sports-oriented cable networks and oth ...

, including

Golf Channel Golf Channel (also verbally referred to as simply Golf) is an American sports television network owned by the NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. Founded in Birmingham, Alabama, it is currently based out of NBC ...

NBC Sports NBC Sports is an American programming division of the broadcast network NBC, owned and operated by NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal and subsidiary of Comcast. The division is responsible for sports broadcasts on the network, and it ...

NBC Sports Radio NBC Sports Radio was a sports radio network that debuted on September 4, 2012. The network content was produced by the NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal and distributed by Westwood One, which is the corporate successor to the remains of t ...

and other businesses, and oversees the Group's stake in

Universal Sports Universal Sports was an American sports-oriented digital cable and satellite television network. It was owned as a joint venture between InterMedia Partners (which owned a controlling 92% interest) and NBCUniversal (which owned the remaining 8%). ...

. He is also responsible for managing the NBC Sports Ventures unit, a collection of

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters ...

owned businesses.

ESPN/ABC

Prior to joining NBC, Simmelkjaer served as ESPN's Vice President of International Development and Corporate Projects. In that role Simmelkjaer managed all international development and corporate projects for the network, including ESPN's family of international television channels, radio outlets and publishing interests. Simmelkjaer also managed the networks relationship with the International Olympic Committee. From 2003 to 2006, Simmelkjaer worked at ESPN as Assistant to the President. In that position he assisted

George Bodenheimer George Bodenheimer (born May 6, 1958) is the former president of ESPN Inc. and of ABC's sports division, known since 2006 as ESPN on ABC ESPN on ABC (formerly known as ABC Sports from 1961 to 2006) is the branding used for sports event and ...

in matters of strategic direction and management. Simmelkjaer joined ESPN in 2002, as the director of programming and acquisitions. In that role he was the primary figure responsible for the launch of a six-year programming agreement between ESPN/ABC and the NBA.

On-air roles

ABC News

Simmelkjaer served as an anchor and correspondent for

ABC News Now ABC News Live (a.k.a. ABCNL) is an American streaming video news channel for breaking news, live events, newscasts, and longer-form reports and documentaries operated by ABC News since 2018. The channel is available through various streaming ...

from December 2005 to July 2007, and was the host of such original programs as, ''Inside the Newsroom'', ''In the Mix'' and ''Guilt or Innocence''.

ESPN

Simmelkjaer returned to ESPN in 2007, and served as a sideline reporter for

ESPN College Football ''ESPN College Football'' is the branding used for broadcasts of NCAA Division I FBS college football across ESPN properties, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN+, ABC, ESPN Classic, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes, ESPNews and ESPN Radio. ''ESPN Coll ...

during the 2007 college football season.

NBC Sports

Simmelkjaer anchored MSNBC's coverage of the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics

Tennis Channel

Simmelkjaer began as part-time studio host of TC Live on Tennis Channel in July 2021.

Education and early career

Prior to his tenure at ESPN, Simmelkjaer practiced law at two New York firms, Weil, Gotshal and Manges from 2000 to 2001, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore from 1997 to 2000. Simmelkjaer is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School. At Dartmouth, Simmelkjaer anchored the Dartmouth sports radio for four years as well as Dartmouth radio's award-winning coverage of the 1992 presidential election. Upon graduation, he was awarded the Alexander Nagle award for excellence in broadcast journalism.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simmelkjaer, Rob 20th-century births Place of birth missing (living people) Year of birth missing (living people) American sports journalists American television news anchors Dartmouth College alumni Harvard Law School alumni Journalists from New Jersey Journalists from New York City Living people New Jersey lawyers New York (state) lawyers