United Way Helps Close the Transportation Gap

Public Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash

An accomplished television executive, David Preschlack is the president of NBC Sports Regional Networks and NBC Sports Group Platform and Content Strategy. Outside of his professional life David Preschlack, alongside his wife Alex, has a history of giving back through longtime involvement with the United Way. Mr. Preschlack now serves as a member of the organization’s worldwide board of trustees.

Nearly half of the American population can’t access reliable public transportation, but United Way is working with ride-sharing company Lyft and General Motors to help change that. All three are partnering in the “Ride United” initiative that will help these individuals overcome transportation barriers through the power of the 211 network, a public works telephone number that serves as a launching point for those in need of community services.

Through the Ride United program, eligible clients who don’t have access to any other transportation will be able to call 211 and schedule free rides through Lyft. The United Way and its partners are also working hand in hand with community stakeholders to help improve overall access to transportation for these individuals. To learn more about Ride United, visit unitedway.org/ride-united.

Dispute Over Proposed Road in Aleutian Islands’ Wildlife Refuge

Fox wandering around

Photo by Justin Chavanelle on Unsplash

David Preschlack is an established media executive who works with the NBC Sports Group as content strategy leader. Passionate about fishing and spending time with his wife, David Preschlack enjoys the outdoors and formerly served on the board of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. The nonprofit has an aim of protecting the National Wildlife Refuge system, which plays a vital role in preserving ecosystems and threatened animal and plant species. 

The Izembek National Wildlife Refuge was recently in the news when nine environmental groups, including The Wilderness Society, filed a lawsuit against a proposal to build a 12-mile road through the Aleutian Islands refuge. The road would potentially connect Cold Bay, which has an all-weather airport, and King Cove.

From the perspective of environmental groups, the refuge represents a critical migratory habitat for birds from around the world. Building a road through the heart of the refuge would disturb avian and other terrestrial life, and be in violation of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. From the perspective of those in favor of the road, it would provide a critical transportation link to the airport in cases of medical emergency.

NCTA Vanguard Award for Young Leadership Recognizes Innovation

Residing in Connecticut with his wife and children, television executive David Preschlack joined NBC Sports Group in January 2016 as president of NBC Sports Regional Networks and NBC Sports Group Platform and Content Strategy. David Preschlack has appeared three times on the Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 list, and was the recipient of the 2013 NCTA Vanguard Award for Young Leadership. 

The Internet & Television Association (NCTA) is the leading trade association for the United States broadband and pay television industries. Created to honor cable pioneer Jerry Greene, who served as vice president and board member of TelePrompter Corporation before he was 30, the organization’s Young Leadership Award recognizes the energy and accomplishments of young professionals in the field of cable and telecommunications. The Young Leadership Award is presented annually to an individual who has displayed innovation and outstanding leadership, as well as potential for continued achievement. Nominees must be under 40 years of age and be active members of the NCTA.

Impact of Wish-Giving from Make-A-Wish Foundation

Since 2016, accomplished executive David Preschlack has served as president of National Broadcasting Company (NBC) Sports Regional Networks and NBC Sports Group Platform and Content Strategy. David Preschlack lives in Connecticut with his wife Alexandra and is an active member of his community, serving as a member of the board for organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut. 

Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has been granting wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. Relying on the support of tens of thousands of donors and volunteers, the organization grants a wish on average every 38 minutes. In 2012 alone, the foundation granted nearly 14,000 wishes, almost 75 percent of which involved travel. 

Medical professionals, volunteers, and parents agree that the benefits of wishes have lasting effects. They not only motivate children to cooperate with medical protocols, but sometimes achieve a measurable positive impact on physical health. In a 2011 survey, 96 percent of parents claimed that the experience made their families stronger, and 99 percent of parents reported that the experience raised their children's level of happiness.

NBA TV Ratings Continue Return to Form

David Preschlack has spent three years with NBC Sports Group in Stamford, Connecticut, as president of regional sports networks and platform and content strategy. David Preschlack met his wife, Alex, during his previous appointment as an executive with Disney and ESPN Networks Group. In his current position, he engages with representatives from team partners across Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Hockey League (NHL), and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Early in the 2018-2019 NBA season, pundits observed an apparent downward trend in television viewership. Among other notable statistics, year-over-year declines on TNT exceeded 25 percent for some telecasts. A popular hypothesis involved megastar LeBron James’ move from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Los Angeles Lakers, with West Coast games enduring a smaller ratings drop. However, the league quickly saw television viewership return to normal levels.

More recently, TNT, ESPN, and NBA TV telecasts have drawn audiences comparable to the 2017-2018 season, which represented a ratings spike for the league. James’ return to Cleveland as a Laker attracted an audience of 3.8 million, the most-watched regular season game on ESPN in four years. The game almost single-handedly offset the network’s ratings decline, putting into perspective how minor the initial struggles were.

In 2018, the NBA enjoyed its most successful Christmas Day lineup since 2011. An audience of 10.2 million watched the Lakers upset the Golden State Warriors, the fifth-largest audience for a Christmas game in league history. The five games on the holiday averaged 5.8 million viewers, a 14 percent increase over 2017.

Historian Frankopan Meshes Past and Present in The New Silk Road

Accomplished television executive David Preschlack has been named to the SportsBusiness Journal “Forty Under 40” list on multiple occasions and was recently included in the Cablefax 100. Following a successful career as an executive vice president for ESPN, where he met his wife, David Preschlack joined NBC Sports Regional Networks as the president of platform and content strategy. In spare time, he enjoys reading nonfiction historical books. 

In 2018, historian Peter Frankopan, a Royal Historical Society fellow and global history professor at Oxford, released The New Silk Road, a follow-up to his 2015 bestseller, The Silk Roads: A New History of the World. 

In the new book, Frankopan describes the political and economic changes that are poised to return economic dominance to the East, especially China. Many of the chapters center on Beijing’s massive multi-trillion-dollar undertaking, the Belt and Road Initiative, which comprises transport and infrastructure projects occurring in more than 60 countries along important land and marine trade routes. 

Throughout the book, Frankopan compares this ambitious project to the ancient silk road started by the Chinese thousands of years ago. He also cites significant external factors, including America’s waning influence and political and economic changes in Iran, Russia, and India.

National Wildlife Refuge Association 2018 Year in Review

David Preschlack is the president of regional sports networks and platform and content strategy at NBC Sports Group in Stamford, Connecticut. During his time at Disney and ESPN Network Groups where he served as executive vice president of affiliate sales and marketing, David Preschlack met his wife, Alex. He, along with his wife, enjoy working with animals and has spent time on the board of the National Wildlife Refuge Association.

The National Wildlife Refuge Association has released its 2018 annual report. The report highlighted a depth of advocacy work the organization supported at the national level, highlighted by the passing of the Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act (KARO). Passed in April, KARO supports continued public access to recreational and volunteer opportunities at wildlife refuges through the reauthorization of the Volunteer and Community Partnership Act. KARO will be active through 2022.

Additional advocacy efforts in 2018 included raising hundreds of millions of dollars for Refuge System repairs following Hurricanes Maria, Harvey, and Irma, and passing a number of bills in Alaska. To read the report in its entirety, please visit the National Wildlife Refuge Association online at www.refugeassociation.org.