Pannes joins COTA off the back of the track’s biggest event since it opened its doors in 2012 as last year Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix enjoyed a record crowd of 400,000.
Pannes worked with Italian football club Roma between 2011 and 2016, and also served as the CEO of the Vancouver Whitecaps team for six months in 2020. He previously spent 10 years at the New York Knicks as its chief marketing officer. Pannes is a teaching fellow at the University of Texas in Austin, and is also the chair for UT’s Center for Sports Communication and Media board.
According to COTA, Pannes will “oversee the Circuit’s portfolio of new business properties which are in various stages of development and are poised to reach across its 1,500-acre campus”. As well as hosting F1, the track has staged IndyCar and NASCAR events, and also has an amphitheater that is used for concerts and events.
Pannes joins a senior management team at COTA headed up by chairman Bobby Epstein, who said: “It’s an honor to welcome Mark to our team. His business background and approach is a perfect fit with our community-oriented, fan-centric culture. I look forward to Mark helping guide our growth and further our success.”
“This is such an exciting opportunity,” added Pannes. “After hosting the highest attendance Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend of all time, MotoGP, the Rolling Stones, and the Peppermint Parkway Holiday Festival all within the last few months, the Circuit of The Americas is poised for tremendous growth.
“Our chairman’s vision for adding sports and entertainment properties and attractions in rapid fashion over the coming years positions COTA to be North America’s premier destination for marquee events.”
F1 is currently enjoying a boom in the United States, which is set to host two grands prix in 2022 following the addition of the Miami Grand Prix to the calendar. Talks over a race in Las Vegas are also known to be ongoing.
