Brendan Odonnell

About Brendan Odonnell

I\'m a media and entertainment strategy professional with 7+ years of experience spanning content rights, streaming distribution, financial modeling, and deal-making. My career has been built at the intersection of big commercial decisions and fast-moving industries — and I\'ve been fortunate to work on some of the most consequential deals in streaming and sports media. At Warner Bros. Discovery, I lead strategic and commercial work for the global streaming business, with a deep focus on sports. Day-to-day, that means evaluating content rights opportunities, structuring distribution and monetization strategies, and helping senior leadership make high-stakes decisions with clarity. I\'ve led diligence on 20+ sports rights acquisitions — including the NFL, NBA, UFC, and WWE — and developed the valuation frameworks and negotiation postures that guide WBD\'s content spend. Before WBD, I spent two years as a Senior Financial Analyst at Hims during a pivotal stretch that included the company\'s $1.6B IPO and a strategic acquisition, and before that, I was an Investment Banking Analyst in the Technology group at JMP Securities, where I ran 50+ transaction processes from end to end. That foundation in financial modeling and transaction execution shapes how I approach strategy work — I\'m most comfortable when the analysis is rigorous and the stakes are real. I hold an MBA from NYU Stern (full-tuition merit scholarship, specializations in Entertainment & Media and Strategy) and a B.S. from UC Berkeley. I\'m always glad to connect with others working at the intersection of media, technology, and strategy.

Experience

1. Manager, Global Streaming Strategy

   Warner Bros. Discovery

   Jun 2023 — Present · New York, NY, US

   Warner Bros. Discovery is one of the world\'s leading media and entertainment companies, home to HBO, Max, CNN, Warner Bros. film studio, and one of the most valuable sports rights portfolios in the industry. As a member of the Global Streaming Strategy team, I sit at the intersection of content, distribution, and commercial strategy for the Max streaming platform — with a particular focus on sports.Sports Rights & Acquisitions: Led commercial diligence on 20+ potential sports rights acquisitions, including the NFL, NBA, and WWE. Developed valuation frameworks and negotiation postures that helped optimize content spend and informed C-Suite decision-making on WBD\'s long-term sports strategy.Deal Structuring & Rights Negotiation: Spearheaded the three-year U.S. AEW rights renewal, building the valuation model and leading cross-functional execution to expand distribution from linear-only to streaming simulcast on Max. Architected an alternative rights distribution and monetization strategy for UFC and Zuffa Boxing as part of WBD\'s negotiations with TKO, redefining the commercial structure based on evolving combat sports economics.Joint Ventures & New Products: Built the business case for the Venu vMVPD joint venture — a first-of-its-kind sports streaming product — contributing to a $1B+ funding commitment from partners. Led cross-functional launch processes for new streaming products designed to further monetize WBD\'s content portfolio.Competitive & Market Strategy: Analyzed internal performance metrics, competitive positioning, and streaming distribution market dynamics to develop long-term strategic recommendations and secure alignment from senior leadership.

Education

• University of California, Berkeley

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Environmental Economics and Policy

  2013 — 2017

• NYU Stern School of Business

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, MBA - Specializations in Entertainment & Media and Strategy