As Managing Director of NBA Europe and Middle East (NBA EME), Ralph Rivera oversees the development and expansion of the NBA’s business and basketball operations in the region. Rivera directs the league’s efforts across marketing partnerships, media distribution, content and direct-to-consumer, licensing, events and youth participation. Headquartered in London with an additional office in Madrid, Rivera reports to NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum.

Since joining the NBA in December 2018, Rivera has overseen the continued growth of the business across Europe and the Middle East. Supported by the region’s senior leadership team, he directs key strategic partnerships across all business lines bringing the game closer to fans, through events, activations, grassroots programs and a broad portfolio of marketing partners and licensees. Over his tenure, he oversaw the NBA’s first games in the Arabian Gulf when the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks played two preseason games as part of The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022, which welcomed fans from 59 countries. He has also overseen the successful launch of the NBA’s physical retail presence that now includes NBA Stores in Abu Dhabi, Berlin, Doha, London, Milan and Paris, the expansion of the Jr. NBA League program that Counts 83 Leagues across Europe, the continued success of the NBA’s weekend primetime broadcast initiative that delivers games in European primetime each weekend that has seen average viewership increase by 47% since its inception, with NBA League Pass subscriptions also growing by 30% YoY.

Prior to joining the NBA, Rivera was Managing Director at Eurosport Digital with Discovery Communications, where he was responsible for leading their digital direct-to-consumer business, including the website, Eurosport.com, and over-the-top (OTT) sports platform, Eurosport Player. Rivera also spent six years as Director at BBC Digital. He also previously served as President at Major League Gaming and spent 10 years at AOL as Senior Vice President and General Manager for Games and International Programming.

Rivera holds an MBA in finance and international business from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Columbia University. Rivera has served on the BBC Executive Board, the BBC Children in Need Board, and the Imperial College Data Science Institute Advisory Board.

Rivera and his wife Btissam have two kids and live in London.