PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Learfield, multimedia rightsholder for Providence College Athletics, has named veteran sports marketer and digital sales professional JJ Alberts general manager for its local Providence Friars Sports Properties team.

Alberts most recently was vice president of activation and corporate partnerships for the NBA’s Boston Celtics and before that, he served seven years as director of sales and marketing for ESPNBoston.com. He also served seven years as director of corporate partnerships for the NFL’s New England Patriots and prior to that, he held senior-level sales roles with Boston.com. Alberts’ additional related experience includes working with the Chicago Sun Times as a national account executive and serving as marketing manager for the FleetCenter (now TD Garden).

Alberts will work closely with Providence College Athletic Director Bob Driscoll and his administration on a daily basis as the lead Learfield liaison for the rights relationship which includes signage, digital, corporate sponsorships, television and radio play-by-play, and coaches’ shows.

“We’re thrilled to have JJ here and welcome him to the Friar family,” said Driscoll. “We are proud of our Learfield relationship and look forward to continued growth in Providence with JJ’s leadership and perspective.”

“JJ brings a tremendous amount of sponsorship, brand building, entertainment marketing and sales experience to our Providence Friars Sports Properties team not only from the professional sports landscape but from the digital media space,” said Learfield Senior Vice President Pat Fagan. “We’re excited to have him on board and know he’ll be a great asset to the work we’re doing to extend the Friars’ brand locally, regionally and nationally.”

This summer, Alberts will complete his master’s degree in education in athletic administration at Endicott College in Beverly, Mass. He is a 1993 graduate of Marquette University, where he was a member of the men’s soccer team.

An industry leader for more than four decades, Learfield has a deep presence in the college athletics landscape nationwide. In addition to Providence College, it manages the multimedia and sponsorship rights for more than 120 collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas, and supports athletic departments at all competitive levels as title sponsor of the prestigious Learfield Directors’ Cup. Learfield also provides its collegiate partners access to professional concessions and ticket sales; branding, licensing and trademark consulting; digital and social platform expertise; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue and technology systems through its affiliated companies.