Executive Vice President, Global Merchandising
National Basketball Association

As Executive Vice President of Global Merchandising, Salvatore LaRocca oversees the league’s award-winning consumer products business, including the management of staffs in the NBA’s 15 offices around the world. LaRocca reports to NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Adam Silver.

LaRocca is responsible for all aspects of the NBA, WNBA, and NBA Development League merchandising business on a global basis, including product development, merchandising, licensing, sales development, marketing, retail, and direct-to-consumer initiatives. The NBAStore.com and the league’s publishing and home video business units also report to LaRocca.

Under his direction, NBA merchandise is now available in more than 100 countries on six continents and sales on NBAStore.com have increased by more than 100 percent. Under LaRocca’s leadership, LIMA, the worldwide trade organization for the licensing industry, has named the NBA Sports License of the Year and the league’s Hardwood Classics collection as Best Sports Product.

LaRocca was also responsible for the completion of the NBA’s global merchandising and marketing partnerships with adidas, Panini, and Spalding, and developed the structure of the league’s global video game and E-commerce businesses. Prior to this, LaRocca served as the NBA’s Vice President of E-commerce, managing the 2000 relaunch of NBAStore.com.

In 1996, he was promoted to Vice President of Licensing. Prior to 1996, LaRocca oversaw the league’s apparel and USA Basketball licensing programs. LaRocca joined the NBA in March 1990 as Eastern Regional Sales Manager.

LaRocca is currently an advisory board member of the St. Joseph’s University Sports Marketing Department and a member of the Board of Trustees of LaSalle Academy in New York City. LaRocca has previously served on the board of LIMA and is a past recipient of the SportsBusiness Journal’s Forty Under 40 award.

LaRocca and his wife, Pam, reside in Westport, Conn. with their daughters Phoebe and Samantha.