EXCLUSIVE: PlayersTV, the sports star-focused streamer, has acquired Michele Ghee’s tech and content agency Expectant Media.
As part of the deal, financial terms of which were not revealed, veteran media exec Ghee becomes President of PlayersTV, effective immediately. She has been on the PlayersTV board for the past two years.
The plan is for Ghee’s expertise in marketing, experiential branding and culture to combine with the PlayersTV media ecosystem of streaming video, news and features. PlayersTV will push into “live community-driven moments with athletes and fans,” the company said in a statement.
Original programming, distribution, experiential partnerships and brand collaborations announcements will follow “in the coming weeks.”
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Ghee has close to three decades of experience in media and entertainment businesses, having held roles at The Weather Channel, A+E, CNN and BET among others.
Deron Guidrey, CEO and Co-founder of PlayersTV, said: “Michele has been a trusted member of our board for the past two years. We saw immense value in Michele and what she’s built across media, content, and activation to support our growing flywheel. She is a proven leader in advancing equity across content and distribution, and we look forward to the high-caliber impact she will have on our organization and with our growing stable of premium partners.”
He added: “At a time when women are disproportionately excluded from ownership and leaving the media industry, Ghee’s appointment reflects PlayersTV’s commitment to inclusive ownership and long-term value creation, bringing experienced operators into leadership roles with meaningful equity alignment.”
Prior to founding Expectant, Ghee held senior executive roles at Essence Communications, where she was Chief Content Officer, and Ebony. Over the course of her career, she’s managed more than $1B in revenue, and notably rose to an SVP position at Paramount’s BET.
“PlayersTV has built something fundamentally different by centering ownership, distribution, and community around athletes and their fans,” said Ghee. “This next chapter is about scaling the model, doubling down on their investment in female-athlete-led content and distribution. We’re connecting premium athlete-led lifestyle and culture content with real-world experiences that create lasting value for athletes, partners, and fans alike.”
PlayersTV investor and twelve-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul added: “I believe in leading by example, and Michele has proven she is able to do just that. Her wealth of experience will help guide PlayersTV in its era of growth.”
PlayersTV is operated through a network of more than 3,000 fan-owners and 70+ athlete investors, including Paul, Travis Kelce, Chiney Ogwumike, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Ken Griffey, Jr. and Vernon Davis.