Jon Slusser

Owner and Partner @ The Famous Group

About

Jon Slusser is an accomplished entertainment executive, entrepreneur, and brand builder with two decades of experience shaping some of the most memorable moments in sports, live events, and media. After graduating from USC with degrees in marketing and finance, Jon began his career with the LA Clippers, working across public relations, finance, and special projects. In 1998, he founded Hornet Inc., a creative production company that grew from a two-computer startup in a small office to a 100+ person team with studios in Los Angeles and New York. As CEO, he guided Hornet’s creative vision, daily operations, and long-term strategy. In 2003, Jon and Hornet acquired GameTrailers.com, a then-niche video game site. Under his leadership as CEO, it rapidly became a leading destination for gaming content, ultimately acquired by Viacom in 2006. Following the acquisition, Jon was named Vice President at MTV Networks, where he oversaw digital platforms and original content. He went on to serve as Senior Vice President at Viacom’s Spike brand, where he launched Spike Digital Entertainment and managed properties including Spike.com, GameTrailers, UltimateFighter.com, and the television series "GameTrailers TV". Later, as SVP of Sports and Specials, Jon developed and produced high-profile, events for Bellator MMA, GLORY Kickboxing, and Premier Boxing Champions, as well as award shows, documentaries, and live specials like "I AM" documentaries, "Guys Choice Awards", "One Night Only", and "Rock The Troops". In 2019, Jon returned to Hornet and its subsidiary, The Famous Group, as CEO and Managing Partner. Under his leadership, The Famous Group has become a global leader in creative technology for live events, inventing and patenting breakthrough innovations such as the "Vixi Suite" fan engagement platform, "Virtual Camera Mixed Reality" system and "Virtual Seat". These cutting-edge technologies and services are transforming how audiences experience live sports, entertainment, and branded events worldwide. In recognition of the company’s innovation and market leadership, global advertising powerhouse IPG acquired a stake in The Famous Group, fueling its continued growth and global expansion.

Country

United States

City

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Industry

Entertainment

Skill

Entertainment, Digital Media, Sports, Film, Video, Animation, New Media, Video Games, Broadcast, Motion Graphics, Video Production, Content Strategy, Social Media, Video Editing, Advertising, Digital Marketing, Digital Strategy, Post Production, Integrated Marketing, Web Video

Experience

Owner and Partner

The Famous Group

2005 - 2022-3 · 17 yrs

The Famous Group -A Fan Experience Company- Strategy • Creative • Technology When you inspire and engage a live audience they become fans. For more than 20 years, we’ve created passionate fans for the biggest brands, venues and events in the world. We begin working with each of our client partners by deeply understanding their brand, their goals, and their audience. We then execute with award-winning creative, rock-solid production and proprietary technology. We’ve been in the experiential business for over 20 years, creating immersive fan experiences for Fortune 500 brands, professional sports events, esports, concerts, festivals and retail environments. That includes 13 Super Bowls, Nike, the NFL, Live Nation, the NBA finals, Ubisoft, NCAA Final Four, Pepsi, NHL All-Star Weekend, AT&T, and more than 90 professional sports teams and venues. Our Mission/Our Results: • Drive Engagement • Create Immersive Fan Experiences • Drive the Value of Commercial Partnerships • Create New Revenue Streams

Partner, Co-Founder

Hornet

1997-6 - 2022-3 · 24 yrs 10 mos

Production company that represents and produces the work of directors who work in an assortment of media ranging from live action, animation, mixed media, stop-motion, 2D, 3D and film. www.hornetinc.com

Senior Vice President, Sports and Specials

Paramount Network

2017-1 - 2019-1 · 2 yrs 1 mo

Hollywood, CA

Jon Slusser oversees Paramount Network’s sports, live specials, events and the the critically acclaimed “I AM” documentary series. Slusser has been integral in the development of the Viacom owned “Bellator MMA” into an emerging global sports franchise since its launch on Spike TV in 2013. As the head of Paramount Network’s Sports, he also oversaw the network’s coverage of “Premier Boxing Champions” and “Glory Kickboxing” and was instrumental in the successful branding of “Friday Night Lights Out” in 2015. Slusser also oversees the annual celebrity-fest, “Guys Choice,” “One Night Only,” and “Rock The Troops” events. He also looks to create new LIVE multiplatform events for the network’s expanding gender-balanced audience.

Senior Vice President, Sports and Multi-Platform Programming

Spike TV

2011-10 - 2017-1 · 5 yrs 4 mos

Santa Monica, CA

Based in Los Angeles, Slusser is charged with creating live, multi-platform, socially driven events with convergent opportunities for Spike TV’s expanding male audience. His focus is on identifying sports and events that are a strategic fit for the brand. He currently oversees Spike’s coverage of Bellator MMA, the highly-successful mixed martial arts franchise featuring many of the sport’s biggest names including Tito Ortiz, Will Brooks, King Mo, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and Michael Chandler.Slusser also oversees Spike’s coverage of the world’s preeminent kickboxing league, GLORY and “The Premier Boxing Champions” boxing series. Slusser targets non-traditional live events for Spike that will resonate with viewers. Among those extensive live multi-platform coverage of major pop culture events including E3, ComiCon and others. He also oversees Spike’s lucrative interstitial programming including “The Playbook” and various video game shows and specials.

Senior Vice President, Spike Digital Entertainment

Viacom

2005-11 - 2011-9 · 5 yrs 11 mos

Spike Digital Entertainment is a network of Viacom brands focused on young men including Spike.com (formally Ifilm.com), GameTrailers.com, GameTrailers TV, WikiCheats and Ultimatefighter.com.