VSiN lures superstar exec Bill Adee to Las Vegas startup

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Bill Adee

Bill Adee, long one of Chicago journalism’s most innovative and accomplished leaders, has been hired away from the parent company of the Chicago Tribune to oversee the startup of a sports gambling network in Las Vegas.

Adee, 52, has been named chief operating officer of Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN), the first multichannel sports media company dedicated to sports gambling news and analysis. The network’s headquarters and studios are at the South Point Hotel Casino and Spa in Las Vegas.

Adee most recently was vice president of business development at tronc, capping a 15-year rise from Tribune sports editor to head of all digital development and operations for Tribune Publishing, predecessor of tronc. Before joining the Tribune, Adee worked more than a decade for the Sun-Times.

“There is no one better at monetizing digital content or creative dealmaking than Bill,” said Brian Musburger, founder and chairman of VSiN, and veteran Chicago media and sports agent. “His understanding of the digital landscape and background in sports journalism make him the perfect choice to guide a sports gaming startup.”

Musburger’s uncle, legendary sportscaster Brent Musburger, serves as the headliner and marquee host of VSiN, which officially launched February 27 with a dedicated channel on SiriusXM Satellite Radio and live streaming online and on social media.

Adee, who grew up in north suburban Waukegan and graduated from Waukegan East High School and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, worked for the Daily Herald and the Waukegan News-Sun before joining the Sun-Times, where he became sports editor at age 29. He joined the Tribune in 2002.

As the Tribune’s associate managing editor for innovation and editor of digital media, Adee launched Chicago Now, the sprawling network of bloggers, and supervised all online news and feature operations for the newspaper. His duties were expanded to include development of new digital product and revenue streams through social media and strategic partnerships.

Adee described his latest challenge with VSiN as “the perfect opportunity to draw on everything I’ve done in sports, news, technology, digital advertising and video,” adding: “After 28 years in Chicago journalism I couldn’t ask for anything more.”