Washington Nationals Appoint Zaber as Chief Revenue Officer

The Washington Nationals have appointed Chris Zaber as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), a role that will see him oversee ticket sales, corporate partnerships, and team events at a time when the franchise faces ongoing commercial and attendance challenges.

Zaber, who began the position this week, most recently held the CRO role with the Pittsburgh Penguins. His career also includes six years with the New York Mets and five years with the Pittsburgh Pirates, primarily focused on ticketing operations and revenue generation.

His appointment follows the departure of Mike Carney in May after three-and-a-half years in the role.

The move comes as the Nationals navigate a period of significant organisational transition. Last month, the club parted ways with long-time general manager Mike Rizzo, who had overseen baseball operations since 2009 and led the team to its 2019 World Series title.

The Washington Nationals have consistently finished near the bottom of the NL East and have struggled to maintain attendance. The club has not surpassed 2.1 million in annual attendance since 2019, with this season’s figure sitting just below 1.6 million.

Commercial Perspective

the Nationals have experienced notable turnover across their top revenue roles. Valerie Camillo served as Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer from 2014 to 2019 before departing for Spectacor Sports & Entertainment, while Jake Burns held the EVP of Business Operations post between 2019 and 2021.

Carney’s exit earlier this year continued this cycle of change, creating a period of instability in one of the organisation’s most commercially critical positions.

To address declining revenues and strengthen its corporate portfolio, the Washington Nationals have leaned on agency support. Excel Sports Management has been retained to manage jersey patch and stadium naming rights opportunities.

In July, the club announced its first jersey patch sponsorship with AARP, a significant milestone in expanding its sponsorship inventory.

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