Executive Vice President, Global Merchandising Group
National Basketball Association
As Executive Vice President of the Global Merchandising Group, Salvatore LaRocca oversees the league’s award-winning consumer products business, including the management of a domestic staff and staffs in the NBA’s nine international offices. 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 NBA Store on 5th Avenue, the NBA Store.com and the league’s publishing and home video business units also report to LaRocca.

Under his leadership, NBA merchandise is now available in over 100 countries on six continents. Sales at the NBA Store on 5th Avenue and NBAStore.com have increased by more than 50 percent. In 2002, the NBA was named Sports License of the Year and the league’s Hardwood Classics collection was named Best Sports Product by LIMA, the worldwide trade organization for the licensing industry.

LaRocca was also responsible for the completion of the NBA’s global merchandising and marketing partnerships with adidas 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 the NBAStore.com.

In 1996, he was promoted to Vice President of Apparel. In October of 1995, LaRocca was promoted to Director and Group Manager of Apparel, where he assumed the additional responsibilities for all youth apparel licensing. From 1992 until 1995, he was the Director of Licensing, Adult Apparel, where he oversaw the development of the NBA authentic apparel program and USA Basketball licensing program. LaRocca joined the NBA in March 1990 as Eastern Regional Sales Manager.

LaRocca has 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.