GPE inks deal with former CBS Sports president Neal Pilson for exclusive representation of US TV rights for Grand Prix Rugby.

Grand Prix Entertainment Names Former CBS Sports President Neal Pilson to Represent the Global Broadcast Rights of Its U.S. Professional Rugby Projects

Grand Prix Entertainment, Inc., a Los Angeles-based sports and entertainment company, announced today the appointment of Neal Pilson, the former president of CBS Sports and for the last 16 years one of the most powerful independent deal brokers in professional sports as a special senior advisor responsible for the distribution of Grand Prix's global television rights for professional rugby sevens.

“It is not every day that we see the birth of a global sports venture with the breadth and depth of Grand Prix,” Pilson said. “Rugby is the third most watched sport in the world and Grand Prix, in its partnership with USAR has found a highly innovative way to present the sport to a global consumer. By using a combination of exclusive rights, an impressive array of management talent and some very revolutionary and proprietary technology, I believe we will take rugby to the main stage of American television.”

Since leaving CBS in 1995, Pilson has earned a reputation of being a tough negotiator and strategist for a wide array of sports and entertainment properties. In his role as a senior advisor, he will oversee Grand Prix's network, cable and pay-per-view rights attached to a soon-to-be-announced slate of events in partnership with USA Rugby.

Grand Prix Entertainment was granted the United States Exclusive Sanction and License Rights to own, operate and globally broadcast professional Union Rugby Sevens, by USA Rugby, the United States official governing body for the sport of Union Rugby.

Union Rugby Sevens attained global status when the IOC approved the fast paced sport as a new Olympic sport set to debut at the Olympic’s 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games.

GPE’s partner, USAR is a member of both the Rugby World Cup's International Rugby Board and the United States Olympic Committee.

“When it comes fostering the critical relationships across global distribution points, there are few men with the pedigree of Neal Pilson and we are thrilled to have Neal on our team,” said Grand Prix Entertainment's Chairman William Tatham. “Neal brings substantial experience having brokered over $8 billion dollars worth of air time and will oversee all TV rights we hold related to our soon to be announced venture with USA Rugby.”