Fast Chat: Ted Leonsis

Online ad pioneer talks AOL, Facebook, video

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Before Ted Leonsis became master of the D.C. sports universe—his company Monumental Sports & Entertainment owns the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics and the Verizon Center—he served as president at a then-little-known startup called America Online. Over the course of his 14-year tenure at AOL, he oversaw the first display ads and even headed Advertising.com after AOL acquired the ad network in 2004. Leonsis left AOL in 2006 but has kept involved in the ad tech space as an investor with Revolution Growth Fund and recently offered his thoughts on the digital media landscape over lunch.

Adweek: Being one of the pioneers of online advertising, how do you see the landscape now?

Leonsis: Well the first thing I’ll note is when I first got into the business, nobody at an ad agency was wired.

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