PrizePicks Brings in Blizzard Entertainment Talent as CFO

As part of its internal restructuring, PrizePicks has expanded its C-suite with the addition of Marcus Sanford, a former Blizzard Entertainment chief financial officer, who will now serve in the same position at PrizePicks.

Blizzard Entertainment Veterans to Now Steer Company

His appointment is effective immediately, and he is taking the reins over from Ari Koteles, his predecessor, who has been moved to the position of chief business officer, a newly created position within the company seeking to streamline its operations.

Commenting on the appointment of the new executive, CEO Mike Ybarra said that Sanford was an individual whom he knew well, and with whom he had actually worked in Blizzard Entertainment for six years, watching him scale the multi-billion-dollar gaming business.

Ybarra is himself a Blizzard Entertainment veteran. PrizePicks is in a good position to tap into the talents of his new executive.

Although he won’t be responsible for product launches per se, Sanford has more than 20 years of strategic planning, financial management, and operational experience which puts him in a strong position to anticipate the company’s needs and ensure that finances run smoothly.

Sanford was himself excited to be joining Ybarra, his former and present colleague and did not hesitate to offer praise for PrizePicks, whose model he extolled.

Building a Stronger and Better PrizePicks

“The company’s relentless commitment to innovation and focus on delivering the best, most differentiated products to players uniquely positions PrizePicks for accelerated growth,” Sanford concluded.

As to Koteles, he is now shifting to the new position in a bid to help PrizePicks remain an innovator in the daily fantasy sports space, a largely contested market, which is also drawing additional regulatory scrutiny from industry bodies.  

Daily fantasy sports platforms have already come under assault in both Florida and California, with companies in the sector urging the authorities to not shut down the sector with no good reason.

In the meantime, regulators and lawmakers have been clamoring for further clarity into certain sectors of the gambling experience – including sweepstakes, which they are now increasingly beginning to eye with suspicion. Papaya Gaming, for example, has been accused of offering illegal gambling in Michigan, and in Connecticut, VGW was ordered to withdraw from the state.