rEvolution Worldwide has appointed Kenny Ager as the new head of WePlay, its digital marketing, activation, and performance media group. Ager succeeds founder Luca Massaro, who established the agency in 2012.
The leadership transition marks a significant strategic shift for the digital specialist. Massaro built WePlay into a respected sports marketing agency, but placing Ager at the helm aims to expand the company's reach in the competitive digital attention economy. Ager, a veteran with over 25 years of experience spanning Formula One and Publicis, will maintain his current commercial responsibilities while steering the group’s global trajectory.
WePlay Aims for Global Scale and Brand Value
- Agency Valuation: The leadership consolidation following the 2024 rEvolution acquisition suggests a move to provide WePlay with validation, credibility, and scale.
- Sponsorship ROI: For existing partners like Emirates and Paris Saint-Germain, the appointment focuses on helping brands grow audiences, deepen fan engagement and generate commercial value through sport.
- Market Expansion: Expect increased activity from WePlay in the US and international markets as Ager executes his mandate for global scale.
Ager Leads WePlay Through Global Scaling Phase
The appointment follows a period of significant structural evolution for the agency. According to weplay.co, Ager’s tenure with the firm began in 2016 when the team consisted of only five members. Since then, he has been a fixture of the leadership team, overseeing a decade of consistent year-on-year growth.
The transition also marks the departure of Luca Massaro. Massaro, who founded the agency in 2012, is credited with building WePlay into a specialist in digital marketing and activation. rEvolution Worldwide has expressed gratitude for Massaro’s role in the agency’s development as he moves on to future endeavors.
Strategic Shift Toward the Digital Attention Economy
The business logic behind this appointment is rooted in the shifting ways fans consume sporting content. Ager has noted that the agency was built on the premise of understanding fans in a digitally connected era to drive measurable business impact.
The agency’s current operational model relies on a “center of excellence” approach, utilizing teams in London, Chicago, and Dubai. This geographic distribution allows WePlay to service a diverse client base that includes the Las Vegas Raiders, adidas, and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council. The focus is moving toward a model where sport, culture, creativity, and media intersect to drive commercial performance.
| Key Milestone | Year | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| WePlay Founded | 2012 | Established by Luca Massaro |
| Ager Joins WePlay | 2016 | Initial team of five members |
| rEvolution Acquisition | 2024 | Provided scale and resource validation |
| Ager Named Head | 2026 | Transition to global expansion leadership |
Expanding the Commercial Footprint
Ager’s mandate is to take WePlay’s established expertise in performance media and apply it to new, high-growth markets. This includes a heavy emphasis on the US market and key international territories.
John Rowady, founder and CEO of rEvolution, emphasized that Ager’s ability to generate measurable ROI and build high-performing teams makes him the appropriate choice for this chapter. The agency’s ability to secure “agency of record” status with major entities like FIFA and Paris Saint-Germain provides a foundation for this next stage of growth.
“The next step is taking this further now, into new markets and on a global scale, starting with US and key international markets and into more of what our clients need from us to grow their business through sport.”
Whether Ager can successfully replicate the boutique success of the early WePlay years on a massive, global scale remains a focus for the agency’s leadership.
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