ESPN Top Plays Playlist

Co-creator | Product Manager

Co-founded and launched ESPN’s Top Plays playlist—building it into a dynamic fan engagement engine. By aligning playlist programming with tentpole events like the ESPYs, College Football, and NBA coverage, I helped grow the playlist’s visibility and relevance across sports and music audiences. This strategy, tied to a rebrand of a previously dormant ESPN playlist, led to a 500% increase in audience growth, repositioning Top Plays as a culturally attuned extension of the ESPN brand.

My Role

Led marketing strategy end-to-end to grow Top Plays into an audience engagement platform
Curated and programmed music selections aligned with ESPN tentpoles including College Football Playoffs and NBA coverage
Collaborated with ESPN and Spotify on key artist takeovers, positioning the playlist as culturally relevant
Collaborated with internal ESPN teams across marketing, editorial, and social to ensure seamless integration across broadcast and digital
Oversaw the creation and rollout of branded content and promotional assets to support playlist discovery and engagement
Analyzed performance data to inform programming cycles and optimize listener retention across key sports moments
Led redesign of playlist key art to align with ESPN’s evolving brand aesthetic

ESPN Top Plays x J Balvin Takeover

Impact

368K+

Spotify Playlist Saves

Platform Growth

Built playlist into a flagship ESPN music streaming destination through consistent optimization and audience-first programming. Achieved 500% increase in audience growth by transforming a dormant ESPN playlist into an evergreen music property with measurable traction across Spotify.

Cultural Relevance

Aligned playlist with major music artists and cultural sports moments to create a dynamic listening experience that reflected the energy of the ESPN brand. Music became a connective tissue between moments fans watched and tracks they saved.

Brand Alignment

Developed a strategy that mirrored ESPN’s voice—competitive, current, and culturally aware. By syncing music choices with key talent, storylines, and seasonal programming, the playlist served as both a vibe extension and a tool for brand continuity across platforms.

Key Art Designs