David Higdon
Global Head of Communications, Esports
Riot Games
David Higdon has served in global leadership roles for a number of sports organizations including Riot Games (esports), LPGA Tour (women’s golf), ATP Tour (men’s tennis), NASCAR, and Champ Car World Series (open-wheel racing). His move into sports business followed more than a decade working as a journalist, highlighted by his coverage of the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and other sports for The New York Times, Tennis, and ESPN The Magazine.
Higdon currently serves as Global Head of Communications, Esports for Riot Games, publisher of League of Legends, the world’s most popular esport. He joined Riot in 2018 to amplify storytelling around its global events (World Championship, Mid-Season Invitational, and All-Star Event) as well as its 12 global leagues, teams, players, and partners such as Louis Vuitton, Mastercard, NIKE, State Farm, and Red Bull. The 2019 World Championship attracted record-breaking viewership (21.8 million AMA; 44 million PCU), coverage (940+ English-language pieces), and multiple industry awards.
As NASCAR Vice President, Integrated Marketing Communications, Higdon developed strategic initiatives for the motorsports series and led organization-wide business development projects. NASCAR was honored with the 2015 PRWeek “In-House PR Team of the Year.”
In November 2015, Higdon was named Advisory Board Chair at the University of Oregon’s Warsaw Sports Marketing Center of the University’s Lundquist College of Business, and now serves as Chair Emeritus. The Board includes executives from NIKE, T-Mobile, LA2028, adidas, ESPN, FOX Sports, Wasserman, and the WTA Tour. In 2010 and 2017, he joined MBA students on their annual Engaging Asia excursion to Shanghai, Beijing, and Singapore. Higdon also has been a guest speaker and instructor at the University of Miami, Duke University, University of Alabama, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and other academic institutions.
Higdon actively produces content on LinkedIn and Twitter (@davidhigdon). He serves as Head of Strategy for Hal HIgdon LLC, managing his father’s successful running training programs (HalHigdon.com) and social media. David and his wife Sharon, former VP, Marketing & Communications for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, live in Santa Monica, California.