If having Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets for two years left a lasting marketing memory, Tim Kemp should have a great time with Lionel Messi, Tiger Woods, and Max Verstappen in his new role at Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming.
After an “amazing journey” with the Jets over the last eight years, Kemp left the team three weeks ago to become Hard Rock’s svp of entertainment marketing and content. There, he’ll handle marketing for Hard Rock’s brand partners including Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium and Formula 1 team Oracle Red Bull—both of which will feature heavily at this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix—as well as its global entertainment portfolio, which has hosted a lineup of artists ranging from The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, and Elton John to Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, and Kygo
By joining the company, Kemp also re-teams with his old Barclays Center boss Keith Sheldon—who’s now president of entertainment and brand for Hard Rock—in working on several high-profile tie-ups, including brand partnerships with Lionel Messi, Sports Illustrated Swim, Dale Earnhardt, Tiger Woods’ TGL, Audacy, the Miami host committee for the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and more.
Kemp, who is based in New York, noted that he’s acclimating to a company that hosts 35,000 events a year at 300 locations in 74 countries. The Miami Grand Prix has already featured prominently within his first few weeks on the job, but it’s just one of the acts of Hard Rock’s yearlong bill.
“This is a brand that kind of has no limits as it spans the globe, so there’s no shortage of learning moments and opportunities and getting to know everybody,” Kemp said. “It’s been a mix of preparing for all things at once and then getting my head around the pure magnitude of the Hard Rock brand.”
A Jet-setting career
Throughout a nearly two-decade career in sports marketing, Kemp’s travels have taken him to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, the New Jersey Devils’ home at Prudential Center, and marketing roles within the New York Jets organization. A lifelong Jets fan, Kemp ushered the team through organizational rebrands in 2019 and 2024—working with Nike and the NFL on new primary and alternate uniforms while tweaking the team logos.
The Jets didn’t make the postseason during Kemp’s seasons with the organization, but it gave Kemp and his marketing team an understanding of their place within the entertainment industry and encouraged them to provide Jets fans with experiences and access to the team and its storylines at MetLife Stadium and beyond. It was a mindset that served them well after quarterback Aaron Rodgers announced on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show in 2023 that he wanted to join the Jets.
